DOA: Kindred Shadows
by Soleneus
Summary: As the first Dead or Alive tournament looms, Kasumi encounters a strange ninja. Finding that their goals align, the two join forces to fight together. Their journey takes them around the world, meeting new friends and enemies, discovering much about each other along the way.
1. Two Ninja Walk Into a Diner

It was called _Annie's_ , once. A long time ago, a mother of four with a talent for cooking turned part of her home into a diner, and a good one, too. It never expanded beyond the one location, and a new highway built nearby completely bypassed it, but the children and grandchildren had taken care of the place, cooking and chatting with the few regulars that kept the small business running. With its out-of-the-way placement in a small town, most people those days called it the Hideaway. It was a place people went to get lost.

And get some good food.

But the history of a little diner in the middle of nowhere doesn't exactly matter. No, what does matter is what happened there.

It was a normal day for the people at the Hideaway. The first few orders were placed and given even before the sun had fully risen, and it looked like it would a pleasantly sunny day. The customers and owners looked up as the bell above the door rung and, recognizing the form of the newest regular, went back to their business.

He was a bit tall, his head brushing the top of the doorway as he entered, with short-cropped hair and stubble on his face, wearing an olive coat that could be found in any hunting shop. Muscled arms could be seen beneath his tight sleeves and he walked a little oddly, like he was stomping a bit to make sure they heard his shoes hit the floor. His face was a bit rugged with the stubble and the thin silver scars under one of his eyes, which were a cold steel blue with an Asiatic tilt at the corners, and he wore a calm, friendly smile.

He took a seat at the counter and smiled at the waitress as she poured him a generous measure of hot coffee. "Mornin', Agnes," he greeted pleasantly, "My usual, please." He sounded inordinately pleased at making the order, and even more so when the woman smiled and nodded, as she knew what he was talking about.

He rubbed his hands together and added some cream to his coffee, smiling to himself as he took a draught of the hot liquid. Over the rim, his eyes flicked to the mirror behind the counter, taking in the people reflected in its surface. Most of the regulars were in their usual spots, though Mary had taken a seat with Andy and they both looked rather happy about it.

The pictures and various ornamentations were all in their places, though a few needed to be dusted, and none of the patrons were carrying, as usual. The man smiled to himself again and drank of his drink. He perked up as Agnes came back, sliding a plate of eggs, bacon and toast in front of him with a glass of orange juice on the side. "There you are, Saul," the waitress announced with a smile while she topped off his coffee, "Your usual. I added a bit of pepper jack to your eggs, tell me what you think."

"Without even taking a bite, I'm willing to bet they're as delicious as ever," Saul replied with a wink, the older woman batting at him with a towel. Acquiescing, he took a bite and groaned under his breath. "As I thought," he said, "Delicious as ever."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Dewitt." Agnes teased before striding off to make her rounds.

Saul dug into his meal, alternating bites between sips of coffee and juice as he made notes in a little black journal he slipped out of his pocket. It seemed like it would be a normal day.

That is, until the door opened again, and the bell chimed. Everyone in the diner turned and looked at the doorway in confusion. Saul was the newest regular, and he always arrived last. This person…was new.

They wore a baggy sweatshirt and pants that couldn't disguise that they were a woman with a great figure underneath, and the hood was pulled up to just above her large eyes, leaving warm cinnamon orbs and a few strands of similarly-colored hair exposed. The girl paused upon noticing that the whole diner's attention was on her, sighing inaudibly as they looked away and went back to their meals. She slipped through the tables and took up a spot at the booth farthest away from the door, with her back to the wall.

Agnes gave her a plain smile and set a menu in front of her. "I'll be back in a moment to take your order, dear," she said in a bland tone, pouring her a cup of coffee. It was a far cry from her usual warm, teasing personality, and it was something she did to every new customer.

The doe-eyed girl looked up at her in confusion as the waitress left, before turning to the menu and flipping it open. From his position at the counter, Saul could see her lips slowly move as she read the items, moving slowly as if she was having trouble pronouncing them. His eyes picked up on the way her fingers fidgeted every time the overlong sleeves of her hoodie slipped down her hands, how her eyes would surreptitiously flick up and take in the room every few seconds as if searching for something.

 _Interesting._ Saul thought, stacking his coffee and juice on his plate and walking up to the girl's booth, setting his meal down and sliding in opposite her. "Hey there," he said cheerfully. "How's it going?"

"Uh…" She blinked, nonplussed. "…Fine?"

Her tone had a bit of lilt to it, the hint of an accent. Going by the shape of her eyes, she was probably Japanese. "Are you sure about that? No one ever really comes here if they're 'fine.'" Saul replied, making air quotes with his fingers. "They call this the Hideaway for a reason. Pretty much everyone who comes is hiding from something, or someone. See that guy by the window?" He pointed over his shoulder at a bald man with a square face reading a newspaper. "He's Vinny. Used to run with the Mob over in Chicago, until they asked for something he couldn't give and went state. Word is, he's here under Witness Protection; not that it could be proven, of course."

He nodded to the couple chatting at a table. "Mary had an abusive husband she killed in self-defense, while Andy over there used to be part of a cult. Everyone here is either running from something or trying to get lost." Saul eyed her over his coffee. "So, which are you?"

"Why does it matter?" The girl asked curiously.

Saul shrugged. "Well, I know pretty much everyone here, except for you. You're interesting," he said honestly.

She flushed slightly at the frankness of his admittance and the honesty in his eyes. "What makes me interesting, though?" she questioned, her warm brown eyes flicking up to meet his chilled steel, "I'm not anyone special."

The man chuckled quietly. "You sure about that?" He tapped the table with his finger and began to list off things. "When you first entered, you scanned the room, not that unusual when going somewhere new. But you didn't look at faces first, you looked at their chests and legs for concealed weapons. Then, you picked the booth farthest from the door and put your back to the wall. Again, not unusual for this kind of place, but noticeable. You flick your fingers every time your sleeves cover your hands, like you're unused wearing something with long sleeves, and your fingers are calloused and have small scars on them, so you've handled small, sharp objects for most of your life."

He paused to take a sip of his coffee, pulling a face at the taste. He reached across the table to grab a packet of fake sweetener, meeting the girl's wide eyes as he did. "You also have a bit of accent, just a little one, but noticeable if you know what you're looking for, and the shape of your face and eyes, along with the accent tells me you're Asian. If I had to guess, Japanese." Saul quirked an eyebrow at her, noticing that she was gripping the butter knife tightly. "Put that all together and-"

He flicked the unopened packet at her face like a throwing star and her hand blurred, catching it between her fingers before it even got close to her face. "-You're a ninja," Saul finished with a small, triumphant smile.

The now-revealed to be ninja tensed, her eyes looking from him to the room at large, as if calculating how quickly she could jam the butter knife in his eye and escape. "Who are you?" she asked seriously, "How did you see these things?"

Saul's smile turned humorless and he laid his hand on the table, a quiet click sounding out as a small blade emerged from under his sleeve, the sharp black tip digging into the wood. "I know a thing or two about ninja," he said simply, slipping the knife back up his sleeve and relaxing against the leather back of his bench. "Don't be so tense. I'm not here for you. Everyone who comes through here is running from something or looking to get lost. I'm part of the latter."

The girl relaxed, but not completely. "You never answered my question. Who are you?"

"The name's Saul, Saul Dewitt," he answered easily, "And you are?"

"K-Misty," she stuttered a bit and silently cursed when she noticed Saul's eyebrow go up.

"I already know you're Japanese, there's no need to hide that," he said simply.

'Misty' sighed a bit. "My name's Kasumi," she admitted.

Saul nodded in satisfaction and held out his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Kasumi." He noticed that she was eyeing his sleeve suspiciously. "Probably don't want to shake my hand after I showed you the knife, huh? Don't worry about it. As I said, I'm not looking for you, just to get lost."

Tentatively, Kasumi reached out and shook his hand, noticing the rough feeling of his fingers, the small smooth grooves of scars nearly invisible on his skin. Her eyes narrowed a bit. "You don't just 'know a thing or two about ninja', do you?" she asked.

He simply smiled mysteriously as Agnes approached, clutching a notebook and a pen. "What can I get you, dear?" she asked in a bland tone.

Kasumi nervously looked down at the menu, having forgotten about it during the conversation. "Uh, um…er…" She bit her lip cutely and Saul found himself smiling.

"I'd get the eggs," he spoke up, getting her attention. "They're delicious."

The ninja blinked at him before nodding. "Yes, a plate of eggs, please." She glanced back at Saul as he tapped his last piece of bacon, then his orange juice. "And bacon and orange…juice?" The last part came out as timid question, which drew a small smile from the stone-faced waitress.

"Alright, your meal will be out in a jiffy," Agnes replied, tucking her notebook away and taking the menu under her arm.

"Ah, wait!" Kasumi protested, but it was too late. Agnes was already behind the counter. "I don't have enough money to pay for that…"

Saul waved her concern off. "Don't worry about it, I'll cover it for you. A bit surprising though, given that your clothes are brand new." He reached under the table and the girl squeaked. He brought it back up and revealed the tag he'd pulled off the bottom of her left pant leg.

"Oh, er, well," Kasumi hunched over. "I kinda…stole them…"

Saul chuckled, making her hunch over herself even further. "It's a bit funny that you feel bad about lifting some clothes, that's all." He said, leaning on his hand and sipping his coffee. "So, tell me about yourself, Kasumi. How does a kunoichi end up in America, in a diner in the middle of nowhere?"

Her warm cinnamon eyes turned hard as she gave him a surprisingly sharp glare. "I'm not a _kunoichi_. Kunoichi use their bodies and seduction. _I_ use ninpo, which makes me a ninja." At his nod, her gaze softened. "You already know about me. Why don't you tell me about yourself? Why are you trying to get lost?"

Her meal arrived and she dug in, moaning at the delicious taste as Saul talked. "Well, I'm not really looking to get lost, I guess." He admitted with a shrug. "More like wandering, really. I'm looking for strong people to fight."

"Whuh?" Kasumi asked around a mouthful of eggs, before flushing and covering mouth. "Sumimasen."

Saul simply laughed quietly. "I told you the eggs were good," he said knowingly, "Well, I want to fight strong opponents so I can build up my skill and experience against different styles and people. My dad did something similar when he was young, and, well, I've always wanted to be like him. He said it was one the best things he ever did, walking the earth."

"Oh," the ninja said, "that's interesting. Where are you going from here?"

"Well," he reached into a pocket and withdrew a shiny plastic flyer and handed it to her. **The First Ever Dead or Alive Tournament!** it proclaimed proudly. "I got that a week ago. It's a tournament, inviting fighters from all over the world to participate in matches all over the globe, and the winner gets a million dollars and is crowned world champion. The strongest fighters in the world are going to be there, and I intend to fight them."

Kasumi's eyes narrowed on the organization running the whole thing, DOATEC. The person she was looking for…she'd heard he'd had dealings with them. If there really was a connection there, then the tournament would be her best bet to finding _that_ man. "When does it start?" She asked suddenly, cutting across Saul's rambling.

He arched an eyebrow, tapping the bottom of the flyer. "Entrance matches are in New York, and if you get in, they'll send you to other locations in the world where the televised matches will take place." Saul gave her a curious gaze. "Are you thinking of entering?"

She nodded resolutely, chewing on a piece of bacon. "I am. I'm sorry, but it's not something I want to talk about right now." Kasumi apologized quietly.

"It's alright, we've all got secrets…" To her ears, he was definitely talking about more than herself. "Well, if that's the case…I mean, we just met, but-"

Kasumi glanced out the window and froze, finding two pairs of eyes staring stonily at her through the leaves of tree, a clear message written in them. _Come out._

They'd found her.

"I'm sorry, but I've got to leave," Kasumi announced suddenly, standing up from the table and marching out of the door without another word.

Saul blinked at her sudden departure, somewhat stunned. Then, he stood up and shoved his last piece of toast in his mouth and made to leave. "Agnes, I'm paying for her, too!" He called, slipping a couple of bills out of his wallet. "Keep the change!"

With that said, he rushed out the door, following the flash of her dark blue hoodie disappearing into the undergrowth. He slipped into the bushes, dodging over fallen branches and thick roots, pushing through a bramble patch to emerge into a clearing where Kasumi stood, her back to him. "Hey, wait! I was just saying…"

He trailed off as he noticed the female ninja looking at him with wide eyes, as were the two ninja standing across the clearing from her. Both wore feature-concealing clothing that was loose but not baggy, one wearing black and the other grey. One had a wakizashi on his back, while the other had a katana. "Saul, leave!" Kasumi said desperately, waving him away. "This is personal!"

Saul chuckled, shaking his head. "I know we just met, but do you seriously think I'm the kind of guy who would leave someone alone to fight two people, even if they are a ninja…" He froze, spying the insignia on the leather weapon straps. "Holy shit, Mugen Tenshin."

The three ninja stiffened. _How did he know that name?_ They all wondered. Their clan was well known, but only among other clans and a few governments, not something a random civilian would know on sight alone. One turned to the other and nodded, who made a noise of agreement and quickly took a stance before launching a small ball of fire at Saul, designed to knock him out.

Kasumi saw it coming and shouted, "Saul, look out!" But it was for naught.

…Since Saul somehow caught the ball of fire in his right hand and absorbed the technique. Visible energy glowed through his jacket as the fireball traveled through his chest, down his other arm and out of his hand. The ninja who launched the jutsu was so surprised, the returned technique hit her in the chest, throwing her back into a tree.

"Impossible," the other breathed. "You are no civilian! Who are you?"

Saul smiled, rolling up his sleeves to reveal a pair of high-tech holsters on his forearms. A pair of kunai sprung from the holsters into his waiting fingers, and he turned a smirk on Kasumi. "You were right," he admitted with a shrug. "I don't just know a thing or two about ninja…I'm a ninja myself."

The leader of the two man squad, the one with the wakizashi spoke up. "Whoever you are, unknown ninja, this is Mugen Tenshin business. Leave immediately, and you will not be pursued!"

"Let me think about that," Saul answered sarcastically, idly scratching his chin with a kunai, "You and your buddy here seem to be trying to attack this lovely young woman who I just met, but I can already tell how nice she is. So whatever you're trying to do to her…well, I can't just leave a pretty girl by herself, can I? So…no. Suck it."

The woman with the katana stood up, the front of her shirt smoldering. "So be it!" The leader said, before turning to the woman. "Take care of him. I'll deal with the traitor."

"Hai," she whispered, drawing her katana fluidly, the blade shining in the morning sun. Saul smirked and dashed forward, disappearing into a blur of leaves, metal clashing as her long blade met his short ones in a test of strength. She was surprised to find that his arms weren't shaking at all, and that he was grinning widely.

"This'll be a good test of my abilities!" He crowed, reversing his grip on his knives and twisting her sword up before flipping, kicking it into the air. As he landed, Saul launched both kunai and pinned the blade to a nearby tree. "There we go, good ol' fisticuffs."

The woman growled and launched herself at him, her swings coordinated and deadly as they traded blows. Saul blocked and dodged under a high kick, punching her in the thigh as he came up and landing a kick to her stomach that sent her stumbling back, gasping. He took advantage of her opening and crouched before leaping like a frog, slamming his shoulder into her stomach. Rolling up to his feet, he caught her arm and punched her in the face, seizing her other arm and slamming his forehead into the bridge of her nose.

He heard a sharp crunch as her head flew back and he smirked, pulling her into knee her in the stomach, pushing her back and grabbing her head, jumping and bringing her head down and his knee up. She went into the air and Saul went with her, landing a pair of kicks to her chest that rocketed her into the ground while he landed lightly.

Saul rolled his shoulders in disappointment. "Was that it?" he groused, cracking his knuckles. With the ninja unmoving except for the rise and fall of her chest, the male ninja turned to view Kasumi's fight, and his jaw dropped.

Kasumi flowed like water around every strike, punishing every missed blow with strong attacks of her own, her pure speed and strength severely outclassing the other ninja. She beat him down swiftly, stunning him rapid blows to the face and stomach before back-flipping and landing both of her feet on his face, sending him up into the air to crash limply on the ground. She peered down at the other ninja, finding him unconscious and stood tall, her back straight and head back.

"Hot damn!" Saul crowed, making her jump, as she'd forgotten he was there, "That was awesome! You kicked his ass!"

Kasumi flushed prettily, before she frowned. "It's nothing to be proud of," she rebuked sadly. "They're simply doing what they think is right." Having said that, she bowed to the unconscious bodies. "Please, forgive me."

Saul scratched the back of his head, somewhat confused. "Alright, they're your enemies. What do you want to do with them?"

Kasumi shook her head. "Nothing," she replied. "Leave them here." She turned away and made her way back into the forest.

Shrugging, Saul left the unconscious ninja behind and followed. "So, what I was saying before…I know we just met, but we _are_ going the same way. I was wondering, do you want to travel together?"

The female ninja paused, glancing over her shoulder at him questioningly. "Why? My clan is chasing me…it would put you in danger." Her eyes narrowed. "And you lied to me."

He shrugged again. "Not exactly. I didn't say I was a ninja, I just implied. I should've figured out that you were running from your clan, though."

Kasumi stepped up to him, and even though she was nearly a foot shorter, she glared into his eyes. "Who are you, really?" she asked seriously, slipping into Japanese, "And no implications. Tell me the truth."

Saul's eyebrows went up. "The truth?" He muttered to himself, before nodding. "Alright." He bowed deeply, meeting her eyes. "My name is Shimada Ryoji. Please, take care of me."

"Shimada?" Kasumi wondered aloud. She'd never heard of a ninja clan with that name. Her eyes narrowed again. "So, you did lie to me."

"Not entirely," he said with a shrug, and she was surprised to realize he was speaking perfect Japanese, with a hint of city accent. "I was born Saul Dewitt. I was named Ryoji later. Both are equally my name."

"I've never heard of a ninja clan named Shimada," she half-asked.

"We're a secretive bunch," Ryoji replied, switching back to English seamlessly. "More so than most clans. I'm not surprised you've never heard of us. Them. Us." He shook his head. "Whatever. Anyway, what do you think? Want to travel together? It'd be nice to have some to talk to."

Kasumi drew back, surprised. "You still want to travel with me?" She asked. "Even after what happened back there? And not knowing why my clan is chasing after me?"

"Yep," he replied simply.

A wakizashi, the hilt decorated with a blue tassel, was suddenly at his throat, the edge nicking his skin. Despite the sharp blade nearly biting into his neck, Saul looked completely calm. "How do you know they aren't chasing me for a good reason? Like if I killed the clan head?"

Saul arched an eyebrow, hearing the subtle waver in her voice when she said 'killed' and 'clan head'. "Did you?" he asked bluntly.

Kasumi balked. "Well, no…"

"Then I see no problem," he said with a smile. "So, what do you say?"

Kasumi sheathed wakizashi under her hoodie and stepped back, thinking critically. While the man in front of her seemed friendly, he could have ulterior motives…though, he had stepped in the fight with her fellow clansmen, even though they gave him the chance to leave. Not to mention the strange ability he possessed, to be able to absorb and redirect ki…it was a useful technique, to say the least. And to be honest with herself, Kasumi was lonely. She'd spent months traveling across the world, looking for clues of the whereabouts of _that_ man, and the only interaction she'd had with other people were the attacks on her person by the clan, and scrounging for food and clothing.

"I'll also pay for all of our meals," he added.

Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she hadn't finished breakfast, her only real meal after two days of going hungry. "Okay," she nodded in acquiescence, "let's travel together. But no funny business, understand?"

"Of course, Kasumi," Saul answered soothingly, before grinning, "Though, if what I saw back there was even half of your capabilities, then I really want to fight you."

Kasumi blushed lightly, but returned fire. "Then you'll have to get to the finals of the tournament," she replied, surprised by her own confidence. "Because that's the only place I'll fight you."

His grin became even wider. "Than that's what'll happen." He held his hand out for her to shake. "We'll both get to the finals. Deal?"

Unlike before, Kasumi didn't hesitate to shake his hand. "Deal," she agreed firmly.

…

…

…

…

 **A/N: So yeah. I went to visit my sister and refill my think tank, and I played a good amount of DOA 5, which got me interested, so I did some research. I remember playing the earlier games when I was younger, but I don't really remember much besides jiggle physics. And not being very good.**

 **But I did remember that I liked the arguably main character, Kasumi. Besides Ryu, that is. He was the coolest. But also fuck his game.**

 **So, with my interest renewed, I did some research into the lore, decided I liked it, but it could use 100% more Saul! Or Ryoji. Both. Now, this isn't a Saul like you've seen before, backstory-wise, since he's actually a ninja. And in this case, he's actually half-Japanese.**

 **Also, there will be elements of Overwatch present, not a bunch, but some, and they won't be exactly as they appeared in that. Guess who they are. Come on, guess!**

 **So yeah, this is a bit of a test, see how people like it and if they want to see more. I mean, I'll write more if I want to, but it'd be nice if other people liked it too.**

 **Big thanks to NorthSouthGorem and Kurogane7, as always, for editing and being sounding boards. Why don't you give them a look?**

 **Stay Awesome.**

 **~Soleneus**

 **P.S.: Did you like Kasumi? I'm trying to make it so that she's sweet and a bit innocent, but also a complete badass ninja. Hope I succeeded, but if you notice anything off, let me know.**

 **Stay Awesome Some More.**

 **~still Soleneus**


	2. Cross-Country Company

After their deal was sealed, the two ninja returned to the diner, where Kasumi apologized to Agnes for running out so suddenly and finished her breakfast. After she was full, Saul led her outside to the gravel parking lot, where a few idle vehicles sat. He stood next to a dark green motorcycle, patting the seat. "This is my baby," he said by way of introduction, grinning, "Since we're not taking a plane, we'll take my baby to New York. It'll take a couple of days since we're not exactly close, but hey! At least it'll be fun!"

"A-are you sure?" Kasumi asked tentatively, poking the side of it with her foot. She'd seen cars and motorcycles before, but had rarely ridden in or on them. She much preferred to hop through the branches, feeling the wind in her hair and the leaves brushing over her skin. It was freeing to move at such speed under her own power.

Saul guffawed lowly. "I literally just saw you put someone on their ass in ten seconds flat, but you're scared of riding a motorcycle?" he asked incredulously.

She frowned at him, though the hood on her head and the hunched posture ended making it more endearing than threatening. "Not scared," Kasumi replied, crossing her arms, "I just haven't really…been on one before."

"First time for everything," he said with a shrug, throwing his leg over the seat. "Just hop on the back. You can hold onto me, or the bottom of the seat, either one."

"Alright," she replied with a sigh, reaching under the steps and retrieving a pack that she secured to her back, before sliding in behind him, grabbing the underside of the seat as Saul slipped a pair of sunglasses on and kicked the engine on.

"I'd ask if you want a helmet," Saul said, his voice carrying back to her, "But I don't have one."

They left the diner behind with Saul opening the engine up on the mostly-empty streets, the loud growling of the engine reverberating off of the trees around them. As they hit more busy roads, the shinobi flipped the radio on, not high enough that it blocked the sounds of the other vehicles, just so that it wasn't all they heard. And after awhile, they boarded an on-ramp and hit the highway.

Nothing was said beyond the music, as Saul kept his eyes on the road and Kasumi gazed at the scenery passing them by. Hours passed, the environment changing from flat grasslands to low, rolling hills, then to fields of corn and produce.

Saul steered off the highway into a rest stop, slowing to a stop in an empty parking space. He stepped off his motorcycle with a large yawn and a stretch. "Aah!" He shook his head and rolled his neck, glancing at Kasumi, who was doing the same. "I don't know about you, but I need to use the bathroom."

She nodded in agreement and they parted ways at the building, splitting up to relieve themselves for the next leg of their journey. Saul emerged first and moved to a small kiosk, where he bought four sandwiches, a couple of apples and some juice for their lunch, taking a spot at a picnic table under a tree. He unwrapped a sandwich and stuffed it in his mouth, chewing slowly and enjoying the warm wind rushing around him.

Kasumi joined him a minute later, looking refreshed and perky with a few water droplets sliding down her chin. She took the offered sandwich and sat down, digging in. "How old are you?" Saul suddenly asked, making her look up at him in confusion, "I just realized I never asked before."

"I'm seventeen," she answered, a finger spinning a thread of warm brown hair around it. "I'll be eighteen in a few months. What about you?"

"Heh," he chuckled, "I'm eighteen. My birthday was about eight months ago."

"Really?" Kasumi perked up in interest. "You seem so much older, though."

Saul arched an eyebrow at her. "Are you calling me old?" he asked in mock offense.

The female ninja blushed. "N-no! I just mean, you're mature…" She paused, seeing him hide a laugh behind his can of juice. "You're teasing me," she stated accusingly.

Saul gave her a grin, nodding. "Yup," he said bluntly, snickering at her pout, "But I know what you mean. I just have that kind of face. And you and I both know the life of a ninja is never an easy one."

Kasumi glanced away, her eyes glazing in remembrance. "Yeah…" she murmured, idly eating her meal. They sat together, lost in their thoughts. Saul took a deep, weary breath before standing up and brushing his pants off.

"Alright, that's enough reminiscing," he stated, sliding his sunglasses back on, "We've got more ground to cover, so let's get on the road."

…

Several hours later, night had fallen. The headlight of Saul's motorcycle cut through the darkness as he drove them towards a motel on the outskirts of a small town. Parking, he made to get up, but found that Kasumi had her arms wrapped around his waist tightly. He'd felt her move there a few hours ago, thinking that she'd simply wanted to change positions, but it appeared she'd actually fallen asleep.

"Kasumi," he whispered, patting her hand, "Wake up, we're stopping for the night. I'll get us some dinner and then you can sleep, okay?"

She grumbled sleepily, pulling away from his back and looking around blearily. "W-where are we…?" Kasumi asked, stopping to let loose a long yawn.

"Closer to New York," Saul replied with a shrug. "Other than that, I don't really know. Been in Japan most of my life."

"You don't have much of an accent, though," she pointed out.

"It was mandatory to learn English," the ninja said, glancing at the man behind a pane of glass, who was giving them an irritated look. "Do you want to get one room or two? I could get a room with twin beds, if that works for you."

"Oh, um…" Kasumi looked down at her fingers in embarrassment, feeling a guilty stirring in her gut about making him buy a room for her. "W-what would be cheaper?"

Saul did the math in his head. "Probably a twin room. Well, a single room would be cheapest, but let's not go there." He clapped his hands and walked off, pulling out his wallet. "Back in a sec."

The runaway ninja watched his back as he approached the booth, her mind going back to that morning. _The way he reflected that ninpo… if I face off_ _against_ him, _that technique would be invaluable. I don't think he'd tell me if I asked right out…maybe after we've settled in and gotten comfortable._ She thought, playing with her sleeves.

The Shimada ninja came back, twirling a key ring on his finger. "Alright, I got us a room. I'm hungry, but I don't trust any food that comes out of vending machine, especially not in a place like this." He eyed the guttering light fixtures above them and the paint peeling off of the walls. "I saw a store while I was driving up. It's a brisk walk from here to there, but we're not exactly civilians, are we?"

Kasumi stretched her arms above her head, a smile coming to her face. "Tree hopping?" she asked, gesturing to a nearby thicket, the light vanishing between the thick trunks and spindly branches.

"Yup. It's a straight shot that way," he pointed south, grinning, "Race you."

The runaway ninja paused. "Wait, race?" Saul vanished in a blur of leaves. "Hey!" she called, her form disappearing in a flurry of sakura petals. Two blurs raced through the boughs, branches creaking under fleeting, invisible weight, leaves and needles alike waving in the sudden breeze. Twin trails of arrow-shaped leaves and soft pink petals fluttered to forest floor, coming to rest among the dirt.

Through the blurring on the edges of his vision, Saul could see the neon lights of the store up ahead and grinned, pushing more power into his legs as he bounded from tree-to-tree, bouncing off of the branches and trunks, dodging and leaping in equal measure.

On the last branch he pushed down and jumped, sailing into the open air, a noise of triumph coming from his mouth…which froze halfway out when he saw Kasumi waiting for him, her sakura petals drifting down around her. Which meant she had beaten him by about two seconds. And at the speeds they were going at, she might as well have beaten him by a minute.

He landed next to her, neither breathing any harder than if they'd taken a brisk walk. "Damn, Kasumi, that _is_ some speed," he complimented, a good-humored laugh escaping him, "I thought _I_ was fast, but you beat me hands down."

Kasumi blushed prettily, playing with a strand of her hair. "Well, I am the fastest in my clan," she replied, though her face fell at the mention of her former family-in-arms.

Saul smiled and patted her shoulder. "Well, we're here. Let's get some food," he offered, hoping to take her mind off of it. And make her blush again.

They entered the store, the sterile blue lights washing out whatever color there was in the bright packaging of the various snacks and candy. The Shimada ninja picked out a few of his favorites and watched as Kasumi tried to read the words on a package of Sno-balls. After sounding the word out and realizing what it was, she smiled happily and grabbed one, before selecting a foil-wrapped hotdog. Which was probably one of the healthiest things in the store, and that's saying something.

Saul grabbed some juice for them and laid his wants out on the counter, as did Kasumi when she joined him. The cashier, a young woman with a square jaw and lank brown hair, glared suspiciously at them and rang up their purchases with one hand. The two ninja knew she was gripping a weapon under the counter, and they left with haste.

"She wasn't very nice," Kasumi muttered as they jumped back into the trees, taking it a bit slower heading back.

"Small place like this, she's never seen us before and it's late," Saul offered with a shrug, "And you've got your hood up, despite the hour. Probably thought we might rob her."

"Oh," she muttered, touching her hood, "I forgot about it." She pulled it down as she leapt over a small clearing, warm cinnamon tresses trailing behind her like the tail of comet.

Saul stopped mid-jump, his eyes fixed on her revealed hair. "Whoa," he mumbled, "That…is a lot of hair." He shook himself out of it and followed back to the motel, where he unlocked their room and flopped down on the bed with a sigh.

It wasn't impressive, as far as rooms go. The beds were twin-sized, the carpet was the kind of brown color that would hide any kind of stain, and the wallpaper was peeling in long, thin strips, showing the other ruined remains of other wallpaper behind, each as tacky and garish as the last. But, at least it wasn't the dirt. Or the floor.

Though Saul was definitely going to be sleeping fully clothed.

He sat up, the packages in his hand crinkling as he ripped them open and dug into his meal. Hot dogs and prepackaged celery and carrots weren't exactly in the same ballpark as 'healthy', but it was as close as it could get in a one-horse town far from any city. He and Kasumi chowed down in silence, the only sounds being the crackling of wrappers and the creaking of old bed springs.

Saul eyed Kasumi with hidden amusement as she eagerly unwrapped her treat and took a large bite. Who knew ninja girls liked Sno-balls? Her cute smile faded as she chewed slowly, becoming confusion, as if she couldn't understand what she put in her mouth, then betrayal as she looked at the treat in her hand. "What?" Saul asked, "What's wrong?"

Kasumi stopped chewing, her face going pale and she started panicking, dropping the package to the ground as she waved at herself, her face twisting as if she desperately wanted to spit it out, bouncing in distress. Saul quickly handed her a small trashcan that she took eagerly, hastily spitting out the partially-chewed bite. "What is that made out of?!" Kasumi asked in-between scrubbing her tongue with her sleeve.

The Shimada ninja picked up the dropped wrapper and read the back. "Um, well…I can't pronounce half of these, but I think chocolate, cream, marshmallow and coconut."

The former Mugen-Tenshin ninja paused. "Marshmallow? What's that?"

Saul looked up in thought. "Actually, I don't know. A lot of puffed-up sugar, definitely, but I don't know." He arched an eyebrow curiously. "You didn't look like you were having a good time, there. What's wrong?"

She shook her head, rapidly downing a bottle of water. "It was too sweet," Kasumi replied with a grimace, "Like eating a sponge soaked in sugar." The Shimada shinobi snickered and made to throw it away, only to find bitten-into Sno-ball thrust in his face. He gave her a confused look and she shook it insistently, sprinkling white coconut flakes on the carpet. "You keep laughing at me. Take a bite. Suffer like I did."

Saul quirked an eyebrow. "Rather demanding, don't you think?" he asked. Her cheeks pinked but her lips thinned in determination and she waved it at him. Sighing and smiling in amusement, he took the sugary treat and toasted her with it before taking a bite. Saul grimaced, but chewed and swallowed before throwing the rest away. "There. Happy now?"

Kasumi sat back on her bed, pouting at his minimal reaction. "Not really. My mouth tastes weird." She frowned a bit, perking up when he handed her a can of juice. She cracked the top and took a drink as they relaxed a bit before it would time to hit the hay.

A bit later, Saul stood up and stretched. "Alright, I'm going to brush my teeth, then I'm going to bed." He retrieved a small scroll from his pocket and unrolled it, unsealing a toothbrush and toothpaste with a quick application of ki.

"You brought a scroll of seals?" Kasumi asked interestedly, peering at the circled kanji on the paper. "Those are really rare."

He shrugged. "I know. This is one of four my clan has," he gave her a secretive smile, "I sorta took it without anyone knowing."

The runaway ninja tilted her head at him. "You stole a relic from your clan…and you keep your toothbrush in it," she said slowly, as if she couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth.

Saul tapped a kanji a bit below the first. "Also underwear. I needed it and no one was using it, so I thought, 'why not?' And there are three more if someone _really_ needs one." He left with a skip, entering the bathroom and shutting the door behind him. Kasumi took that time to study the seals, finding that they were labeled rather simply. 'Equipment,' 'clothes,' that sort of thing. Her sharp eyes picked out the subtle shape of the brushstrokes, a nail delicately tracing the lines.

"Ah!" Kasumi jumped as the seal released, dropping a load of various clothes to the ground and she quietly panicked, scooping up armfuls of clothes and trying to pile them back on the scroll without accidentally breaking it. It didn't help that she had no idea how she'd released the seal, she wasn't even channeling ki at the time.

"You know, if you wanted to borrow some clothes, all you had to do was ask," Saul pointed out through a mouthful of toothpaste, making Kasumi jump again. "Though, I don't think any of them are going to fit you all that well."

"N-no, I was just looking at the seal!" She protested, trying to keep the pile of clothes from tumbling to the floor again. Who knows what that carpet had seen. "How do I put these back?"

Saul reached out and touched the bottom of the scroll, and the clothes vanished in a blur. "Like that." He turned and spat into the sink. "I _was_ going to take a shower, but I think it'd give me dysentery. You can have the bathroom, if you want."

Kasumi stood to go in, but paused at the threshold. "Um…" she gave the Shimada ninja an embarrassed look. "I don't have any…things."

He gave her a nonplussed look. "You don't have any toiletries?" Saul asked incredulously. Kasumi shook her head, and he waved at her pack, "Then what's in there?"

"What I usually wear," she answered, playing with the hem of her hoodie. "That's it."

"You must've left in a hurry," he noted with a shake of his head, unsealing another toothbrush and tossing it to her, "Here, I've got a spare. Tomorrow, we'll stop before nighttime and buy you some more clothes."

Kasumi frowned at him. "You don't have to do that, Saul," she said strongly, "I made my mistakes, and I'll deal with them. You don't have to spend more money on me."

"Yeah, I don't have to," he agreed with a nod. "But I don't have a problem with it, either. Money's for spending on others, you know. Besides, it's not my money."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked curiously.

He smiled. "Let's just say there a few rich criminals who aren't so rich anymore."

Kasumi narrowed her eyes. "That could be dangerous." She pointed out.

Saul shrugged. "Ninja. They never saw me coming and I left nothing behind."

The runaway ninja sighed and nodded in acceptance, closing the door behind her. While she was getting ready, he rolled his scroll up and slipped it inside his jacket, hanging it on a nearby chair and kicking off his shoes before sliding under the covers. He settled into the slightly lumpy mattress and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. _Met a cute girl, get to travel with her, and I'm on the way to a good fight. Today's been pretty good._ He frowned. _If I win this tournament…will the clan finally accept me? Dad and sensei, they say honor is from one's actions, not what others can give, but still…_

He jumped as the bathroom door opened and flicked his wrist, a kunai shooting from the holster at the intruder…Kasumi caught the black blade easily, frowning at him. "What was that for?" She asked.

Saul covered his face sheepishly. "Sorry…" he muttered in embarrassment, "I was lost in thought, and you kind of…made me jump…sorry."

"Oh," Kasumi relaxed, casually tossing the kunai back to him. "That's alright, then. But please remember I'm here. You're the one who offered to travel together, remember?"

"Yeah, I know, I just get lost in thought sometimes," Saul replied, slipping the kunai back into his arm-mounted holster with a click, "I've been traveling alone for months, so I'm not entirely used to another person."

"It's okay, I wasn't injured; just surprised," she said kindly, slipping her sheathed wakizashi under her pillow before shucking her sweatshirt and shoes off, leaving her clad in a pair of dark blue sweatpants and a cobalt shirt that was a bit tight across her chest. "How long have you been traveling?" Kasumi asked as she got under the covers.

"I left the clan a bit after my seventeenth birthday," Saul replied blandly, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. "I've been on my own for over a year."

"…And you've been alone the whole time?" she questioned in quiet voice.

He reached over and shut the light off, plunging the room into darkness. The only exception was the thin streaks of light from the lamp outside slipping through the blinds. "Not entirely. I've been by myself for the most part, but I've met a few people who've made it better." Saul smiled to himself in the darkness. "You're shaping up to be one of them."

Kasumi felt her cheeks warm a bit, though she still had questions. "Why'd you leave?" she asked lowly, "I know you said it was because you wanted to walk the earth and fight strong people, but…there's more to it, isn't there?"

"Yeah, there is," Saul sighed tiredly, rolling over to face away from the flickering yellow light, "Listen, it's been a long day and we've got another long day ahead of us. I'm tired. Night, Kasumi."

"Good night, Saul," she whispered, _I should've known he would avoid the question. We've only known each other for a day…but it feels much longer._ She closed her eyes, but another thought occurred to her. "Saul?"

"Yeah?"

"What do I call you?"

Saul scratched the side of his head in thought. "Honestly, it's only been the last year that I've gone by 'Saul' for a long stretch of time. Saul, Ryoji, whatever makes you feel comfortable, Kasumi, I don't mind either way."

"Okay. Good night…Ryo."

Shimada Ryoji smiled to himself, the image of another beautiful woman calling him the same crossing his thoughts. "Night."

…

 _A young woman, her purple hair out of its usual ribbon as she lay on the ground, clutching her side as she bled from the mouth, painfully pushing herself up. "Hayate, no!"_

 _A older man with brown hair and a serious, angry visage ignored her, whorls of blue and black energy gathering between his palms. He stepped forward and fired it at the man standing across the clearing, who grinned in triumph, his red eyes nearly shining with glee. "Torn Sky Blast!"_

 _The grey-skinned man stabbed his hands forward, similar energy swirling around his body. The twin techniques clashed in the center of the field battling against one another, shaking the air and the earth around them. Finally, the opposing ninpo overpowered the other and exploded, the force of the blast picking Hayate up and carrying him into the thick trunk of a tree with a sickening crunch._

 _The purple-haired girl fared a little better, and was only thrown into the trees around the clearing._

 _The man with grey skin was still standing, his grin wide. "Finally," he hissed, "The Torn Sky Blast, the most powerful Ninpo of the Mugen Tenshin…is mine." A deep chuckle rumbled from within his chest until he threw his head back, unleashing mad laughter into the air. "Ah, Hayate, you have my thanks. As a thank-you for this gift, I'll leave you alive. For however long that is, anyway."_

 _Still laughing, the man vanished in a flurry of leaves, leaving only the echoes of his dark mirth._

 _Kasumi landed in the middle of the clearing, her distressed cinnamon eyes picking out the form of the fallen man among the wrecked clearing. "Hayate!" she cried in alarm, dashing over to him._

" _Kasumi…" he breathed through the agony, "He…Raidou…"_

" _Raidou did this?" she whispered in shock. She knew he was dark, he wouldn't have been exiled otherwise, but this…_

 _Hayate went limp, his eyes fluttering shut. "Hayate?" Kasumi asked quietly, unbelieving, "Hayate?" Hot tears streamed from her eyes as she got no response._

" _Kasumi?"_

…

Kasumi shot up, the hand clasped around the hilt of her wakizashi swinging up, bringing the blade to rest against the head of some standing by her bed. The runaway ninja blinked, clearing the glaze of sleep away to find Saul staring blankly at her, the edge of her shortsword pressing against the side of his throat.

Saul blinked slowly as a look of horror dawned on her face. "If this is about throwing that kunai at you last night, I said I was sorry. And I meant it. Still do. Just so you know." he said calmly, holding up a steaming bowl of eggs and vegetables, "I also brought you breakfast."

She withdrew her wakizashi quickly, her face pale. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it!" Kasumi apologized quickly, stumbling out of bed, "I'm really sorry!"

Saul sighed, a thin line of blood trickling down his neck. "It's fine, Kasumi, really." He set a bowl on the table next to her and sat down with his own, digging into it with a fork. "Should've known better than to wake a sleeping ninja."

"No, it wasn't you, Saul!" Kasumi said loudly, near tears. "I was just…a nightmare…I could've killed you."

"Look, it's alright, seriously," he added, seeing her open her mouth to deny it again. "I threw a kunai at your face, and you nearly cut my throat. We both made mistakes, let's just call it even and leave it there, okay?"

The runaway ninja bit her lip hesitantly, but nodded slowly and settled on her bed. "Still…I'm sorry." Her eyes found the cut on his neck. "You…you should get that looked at."

Saul touched the blood, looking at the small amount of red on his fingertips. "It's fine, not that deep. I've got some bandages, I'll be good in a bit. You should eat, though." He shoved a forkful of breakfast in his mouth. "Also, what happened to calling me 'Ryo?'"

Kasumi shrugged, brushing an errant strand of hair away from her face, her resolute brown eyes still fixed on his slight injury. "I'm just waking up," she said by way of answer. "And if you're not going to deal with that, I will."

The now-christened Ryo sighed, seeing the determined frown she wore. "Alright, here," he replied, handing her his scroll. Kasumi took it triumphantly, scooting around behind him on the bed and rolling it open.

"Um, which one is the…?" she asked awkwardly.

"Second from the top," Saul replied with a quiet laugh. He sat still as she unsealed a first-aid kit and soaked a cotton ball in alcohol, twitching as she cleaned the small wound, "If you don't mind me asking…what was the nightmare about? You were thrashing in your sleep."

Kasumi tensed, biting her lip. "It's something I've been dreaming about for awhile now," she said hesitantly. "There's someone I'm looking for. A man. My uncle. He…broke Hayate's spine and put him in a coma that the doctors aren't sure he'll wake up from." She shook her head lightly and refocused on bandaging the cut.

"Who's Hayate?" Ryo asked carefully. The way Kasumi said his name, he must've been someone important to her.

"The head of the Mugen Tenshin, my best friend…and my brother," Kasumi answered shakily, her hand involuntarily clenching around the bandages in her hand. Breathing deeply, she finished dressing the injury she inflicted and resealed the kit. Her eyes caught on a mark under his shirt, something that almost resembled a scale. Her finger slipped under his collar, slowly pulling it aside.

Saul reached up and tapped her hand. "Ah, if you want me to take my shirt off, you gotta buy me dinner first," he admonished with a wag of his finger and a smirk.

Kasumi teleported to the other bed with a pout and red cheeks. "I wasn't trying to get your shirt off, I just wanted to see what was underneath!" she protested, before freezing, "Ah, wait…"

"As I said, you gotta buy me dinner first," he replied, handing her the bowl full of food with a smirk. "Eat up. We've got a ways to go yet."

…

After leaving the motel behind them, Ryo drove for several hours through early-morning fog, following the highway over hills and valleys, eventually passing into a somewhat mountainous region where the temperature dropped a bit. Not enough to bite, but enough to be a bit uncomfortable. For most people, anyway, not a pair of ninja.

They stopped at a rest area around one in the afternoon, once again lunching on sandwiches and juice from a vendor. "Do you think your uncle is going to be in the Tournament?" Ryo asked suddenly, a curious look on his face.

Kasumi thought for a second, before nodding in agreement. "I believe so. All he cares about is strength and power, and he'll do anything to get it. A tournament of the strongest fighters in the world will definitely draw his attention, if only to prove his strength." She said bitterly, her eyes flinty at the thought.

"Mm," the Shimada ninja hummed, "Well, I don't know how it'll go in the future, but I'll help you take him down if I can."

"Why?" the runaway ninja asked with a tilt to her head.

"Family is precious," he said honestly, his cold steel eyes frosty, "If someone hurt the people I care about, I'd hunt them to the ends of the earth to bring them down. Not that there are many people who count as family for me."

Kasumi frowned, disquieted. Ryo could be boisterous and seemed to have made it his goal to tease and make her blush, but she found him to be good, comfortable company. It helped that he was warm, too, especially on the most recent leg of their journey, but she couldn't imagine him not having a loving family. "What do you mean?"

Saul gave her a small, sardonic smile. "When my father was traveling around the world, he met a woman in America. Marian Dewitt. My mother. Apparently it was some kind of whirlwind romance, because I resulted from it nine months later. But before I was born, my father returned to the clan to become the Grandmaster and marry a woman he didn't care for, leaving my mother with me in her belly and an address for a Shimada safehouse if she was ever in trouble." He took a long draught of his juice can and emptied it, tossing it over his shoulder and into a trashcan.

"So, you can imagine when I showed up two years later in the arms of my dying mother that the elders weren't exactly happy to have an 'indiscretion' marring the clan. I _was_ still allowed to join, and my sensei was my father's brother. Besides the two of them, there was only one person who treated me like I was anything other than a source of disappointment." Ryo looked away, scratching his cheek. "She was called 'Orochi' and she was like me; that is to say, not born in the clan. It's rare, but allowed as long we proved our worth, and she was one hell of a kunoichi."

Kasumi watched as his face fell and he slumped against their table. "What happened to her?" She asked quietly.

Ryo shrugged. "No one really knows. She went out on a contract with her handler and never came back. Part of the reason I'm joining this tournament is so I can get my name out there. She knows I'm called Saul, and I hope that, by getting on television, I can let her know that I'm still searching for her." He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. "It's all I can think of."

Her hand settled on his shoulder before Kasumi really knew what she was going to say. "I'll help you look for her," she said finding herself sincerely meaning her words.

Saul looked at her with plain surprise on his face. "You will?"

Kasumi nodded resolutely. "You're going to help me, aren't you?" At his agreement, she continued. "Then it's only fair that I help you, too. We're in this together…right?" She asked, suddenly unsure.

He stared at her for a few long, silent seconds, before a small, warm smile curled his lips. "Yeah, we are." Ryo patted her hand before standing. "Well, we should get going."

"We should," she agreed, and when he sat on his motorcycle, Kasumi readily wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned on his back. As the engine roared to life, she wondered why, after nearly two days of travel, she knew she could count on Shimada Ryoji as a friend. But, looking back on their conversation, she realized why.

They were similar. Not the same, no, but almost…kindred.

…

…

…

…

 **A/N: And there you go. The reception to the first chapter was good, most everybody seemed to like it and that's always nice. And people also like my portrayal of Kasumi, which is what I was going for. I envision her as sweet and innocent, but far from naive and capable of kicking much ass.**

 **The bit of Saul/Ryo's backstory should help you understand why they seem so close, even after such a short time. Not only do they understand each other on a level only another ninja could reach, but both are loyal to the people they love. And it should also shed some light on how quickly he offered to travel with her: after spending more than a year traveling alone, he's desperate for company and in walks this other ninja, who's also looking for someone, but for entirely different reasons.**

 **Also no, Saul doesn't have Genji or Hanzo's power, he has his own, unique variant. As I said before, they're part of the story, but different at the same time, as shown by them being part of a ninja clan. But, can you guess who his father is?**

 **I also introduced seals that can be used to carry things and nothing else, because how else does Ryu carry all those weapons?**

 **Anyways, next chapter continues their journey across America as they learn more about each other. I'm not jumping into the tournament immediately, since I want to build their relationship before that happens. Though, if I am going a bit fast, I apologize, but I'm not all that sorry. Super slow crap makes my skin itch.**

 **And they're ninja. They don't do slow. For the most part.**

 **Kurogane7: Aside from relations, that's not the best way to do things with shinobi: it's just the** _ **only**_ **way.**

 **And, I'd also like to point out that Kasumi's nightmare was just that, a** _ **nightmare.**_ **It didn't play out that way in reality, but nightmares have a "fun" tendency to bring out the most painful ways fears can be presented.**

 **Kurogane7: Ah, the nightmare…when will we be rid of them and have good dreams forever?**

 **Thanks, again, to NorthSouthGorem and Kurogane7 for being here. Give them a look-see and I guarantee you'll like at least something! Quite the endorsement, I know.**

 **Kurogane7: You're much too kind, Sol.**

 **Stay Awesome.**

 **~Soleneus**

 **P.S.: I now have my own pretentious latin motto! Two, actually, and they're on my profile. If you can figure them out, you get a cookie.**

 **Stay Awesome Some More.**

 **~still Soleneus**


	3. History of Violence

Ryo sat on a small blue seat in a local general goods store next to the entrance to the changing rooms, all of which were colored blue. As was the floor, most the signs and parts of the ceiling; in short, a whole lot of blue. He wondered if that was the reason Kasumi chose this place, since that seemed to be her favorite color. Which would be a given, seeing how that was the only color she wore.

He scratched at the bandage around his neck, sighing boredly as he slumped in his chair, his head lolling forward. He debated with himself whether it would be more prudent to stock up on supplies while Kasumi was trying on new clothes, or if he should wait for her to be done. The latter would be more efficient, but he'd prefer to stay with her in a place neither of them had been before. And she might need his opinion.

"Um, Ryo?" Kasumi voice drifted out of one of the stalls.

"Yeah?" he answered, looking up. The door swung open slowly, Kasumi peeking out from behind it with a nervous expression before sliding out from her cover, her new clothes on display.

Ryo's jaw dropped open just a bit, and he made a muffled, choked gurgle.

It wasn't so much the clothes as the person wearing them. He'd known since the moment he met her that Kasumi was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. Only Orochi had come close, and in an entirely different fashion. But what she wore at that point only proved it.

As far as outfits went, it was rather tame: a sky-blue tank-top that might've been a size too big, and a pair of white shorts with blue flower designs on one leg. And while it was nowhere near what some would politely call 'crass', it did expose her toned arms up to the shoulder and a bit of her chest, and her shorts showed off her long, lean legs. All of it covered in incredibly soft-looking peach skin with a figure women had shelled out millions to get.

Her arms were crossed in front of her and she was looking up at him beneath the fringe of her cinnamon hair. It gave her an intensely innocent and attractive look, which was why Ryo was having trouble speaking, breathing or stringing more than two thoughts together. "Uh…"

"How do I look?" she asked shyly, her cheeks a rosy pink.

Ryo blinked slowly, raising a finger to point at her. "…You know it's going to get colder the closer we get to the coast, right?" he said distantly.

Kasumi drew back slightly in surprise, then pouted. "I know that, this is just an outfit," she brushed the shorts down, "What do you think?"

"Uh…" he said intelligently, "You look really… _really_ …good." _I'm pretty sure she could wear the frumpiest clothes in existence and still make them look good._

The runaway ninja gave him a beatific smile and nodded, skipping back into the changing room. "Okay, I'll get this then!" she called from inside.

"You should grab a few more things!" Ryo replied, rubbing his heated cheeks, "Just one or two more outfits, for variety."

The door opened slightly and Kasumi peeked out, her warm brown eyes glancing around the blue edge. "Are you sure that's alright?" she asked with concern.

He waved it off casually. "I said it's fine, Kasumi. Pick whatever you want."

She sighed almost inaudibly. "Okay…" her slim arm slipped out from behind her cover and pointed at a nearby rack of jeans, "Can I get one of those, please?"

Ryo flicked through the rack quickly, picking a pair that looked to be her size and handed them off. Kasumi muttered her thanks and vanished back inside, and he made a quick loop around the area, grabbing a few shirts and pants, guessing which ones she'd like and grabbing them if he thought they did. Looping back around, he knocked lightly and held the small pile up over the top.

"Here's a few more," he announced, feeling the clothes pulled away to be replaced with the jeans.

"Can I get a different pair?" she asked shyly, "These are a little…small…"

"Oh, uh, sure," Ryo replied, tossing the pair in a nearby basket and grabbing another two sizes larger, handing those over the door. He took a seat again and waited, the image of Kasumi looking up at him with her warm eyes and adorable stance flitting across his mind every thirty seconds or so. _Keep it steady, fella,_ he thought with a sigh, _you can't go to pieces every time she does something cute, even though that's basically everything. Remember what Orochi taught you._

Before they were done, Kasumi had modeled at least three more outfits, each reinforcing the fact that she could make anything look good, before declaring herself finished; though she did grab a few pairs of underwear on the way out. With that out of the way, the ninja duo stocked up on road-food and snacks before hitting the road once more.

It was getting to be later in the evening when they left the store, and they didn't travel long. Stopping in a small town, the kind built for travelers not willing to deviate too far from the highway, they rented a room in one of the cross-country motel chains and after storing their bags, the two walked to a restaurant nearby. It was one of those restaurant chains that looked like a family diner, all homely browns and wood colors.

They were seated in a booth near the back and given menus with food items pulled straight from middle America. While most of it sounded like a bit much for the two Japanese people, they ended up ordering a burger each. Ryo had snagged one of the kid menus and was slowly coloring in a crab, idly sipping from a glass of water with a curly straw. He looked up as Kasumi tapped the table and wordlessly gestured at the picture. With an understanding grunt, he slid it and the crayons into the middle of the table so they could both draw. She took the yellow crayon with a bright smile and started filling in the sand, and they worked together to color the whole thing.

They had just started in on shading the water a realistic greenish-blue when the waitress arrived and deposited their meals in front of them. She gave them a strange look, shaking her head as she walked away and they dug in.

"What was it like, growing up as Mugen Tenshin?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.

Kasumi looked up at him with a mouthful of burger. "Whad d'you mean?" she questioned thickly, taking a drink of water.

"Well, we live near Fuji, so it's fairly cold most of the year, and the people there…" Ryo glanced away, chewing on a fry, "Let's just say it wasn't all fun."

"Oh…" The runaway ninja looked down at her plate. "Why, though? You're the son of the Grandmaster, right?"

" _Bastard_ son of the Grandmaster," he replied bitterly, frowning at his burger as if it had insulted him. "Don't forget that part; I certainly never did."

 _Like Ayane,_ Kasumi thought sadly. "Hayate and I are the children of the Mugen Tenshin clan master. Our life was happy. I had my brother playing and training with me, and Ayane, my friend, and the respect of the village. Though, I learned that Ayane was my half-sister…"

The runaway ninja slumped in her seat, fingering her glass listlessly. "You don't have to talk about that if you don't want to," Ryo said, nudging her leg with his foot.

She smiled blandly and nodded. "After we found out, Ayane cut our friendship off and began to train with our shadow sect; and while that saddened me, I still had my parents and my brother, and I was prodigy in our arts. But, it all went wrong when Raidou attacked: he defeated Ayane, a prodigy in her own right, with ease and broke Hayate's spine. I…didn't know what had happened until she told me." Kasumi swallowed painfully, taking her napkin and distractedly shredding it. "I…I knew we weren't friends anymore, but…the extent of her hate for me…I-I-"

Ryo slid out of his seat and slipped in next to her, gently wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Hey, hey, hey," he soothed, rubbing her arm, "It's alright, Kasumi. You don't have to say anything more."

Tears escaped from red-rimmed eyes as Kasumi sniffled and released a shuddering sigh, slowly leaning against Ryo as he lightly held her. "I want to, though," she murmured. "I've wanted to tell someone about it, to get it off my chest…I just didn't have anyone until now."

His fingers twitched as the temptation to run his fingers through her warm cinnamon hair reared its head. "Then I'd be glad to hear it," he said instead.

Kasumi took a deep breath, visibly gathering her courage. "I finally asked her what happened, and she told me…"

 _Kasumi emerged from the room with a worried frown, leaving her comatose brother behind. She softly closed the door behind her and paused upon seeing Ayane leaning against the wall. With her lavender hair and red eyes, anyone would've called her an exotic beauty. The Mugen Tenshin, however, called her_ cursed. " _Ayane…"_

" _What do you want, Princess?" A joking title from her brother and the clan, but coming from her lips, it was a curse._

" _Who did this?" she asked firmly, nodding at the closed door. "Who did this to my brother?"_

 _Ayane arched an eyebrow at her, her eyes flat. "Why do you even care? There's nothing_ you _can do." She pushed off from the wall, wincing minutely and favoring her side. "Now get out of my way, I'm taking care of Hayate."_

 _Kasumi's face was blank as her former friend attempted to shoulder past, only to find a slim hand with a steel grip on her shoulder. The heiress spun and slammed Ayane against the wall, pinning her with a hand to her throat, her warm brown eyes as cold and hard as steel. "I don't know what I did to make you hate me, Ayane," Kasumi nearly hissed, "And right now, I don't care. I am_ ordering _you, as heiress to the Mugen Tenshin:_ Who did this to my brother?"

 _Ayane gasped in pain, scowling. "Raidou!" She spat, and Kasumi balked in shock. She pulled the other woman's hand from her neck and shoved her back. "The man who cursed the clan came back and caused even more pain and anguish! Are you happy now? Is that what you wanted to hear?!"_

" _I…no, Ayane…" Kasumi tried to speak._

" _You should've been there!" The lavender-haired ninja shouted. "If it had been you fighting that fiend, you would've died! Instead, Hayate is in a coma with a broken spine…and you, Princess were far away with the clan bowing at your feet!" Ayane took a deep breath, containing her anger, her red eyes flashing. "I hate you. It should be you in that room."_

 _She stepped around Kasumi and slid into the room, firmly closing the door behind her. Kasumi stood in silence for a few long minutes, staring at the wood of the wall. Finally, she sighed explosively, clenching her fist tight enough for her nails to draw blood. She brought her bleeding hand up to her face, watching the crimson liquid dripping to the floor. "Raidou…" she swore, her eyes dark, "You've caused so much suffering…I_ will _kill you."_

Ryo blinked, his face slack. "Wow," he uttered quietly, " _That_ …that's a lot bad feelings."

Kasumi giggled faintly, wiping her eyes on her sleeves. "I know," she said softly, "You kind of remind me of her."

He gave her a slighted look. "I haven't been mean at all!" He protested.

She laughed again, stronger that time. "Well, you have been teasing me," she offered with a smile. At his paling face, Kasumi shook her head. "And I don't mean like that. You've been nothing but nice to me this whole time, but what you've told me of your life in the Shimada clan…it reminds me of her."

"Especially the whole 'unwanted bastard' part?" Ryo replied dryly, and she nodded abashedly. "Well, I can't say you're wrong about us being similar in that respect, but I don't think I could ever hate you, Kasumi. You're too sweet."

Kasumi flushed deeply. "Y-yes, well, now that you know about me…tell me about you." Ryo nodded and made to stand, but she grasped his sleeve and pulled him back down, leaning on his shoulder unashamedly. "You can do it here. You're warm." She by way of explanation.

He arched an eyebrow at her but nodded, reaching across the table to snag his plate and bring it to his side. "After my mom died, I was 'accepted' into the clan and my father named me Ryoji. Being what I am, no one stepped forward to teach me; not until my father's brother, that is." Ryo shook his head, smiling faintly. "Shimada Hanzo. He was the older of the two, but he let my father take the head when he came back. Said he'd spent his whole life being responsible for the clan, and now that his brother had finally come back with some worldly wisdom, it was his turn to get gray hair."

The runaway ninja laughed quietly. "He sounds nice," she commented happily.

"He wasn't," Ryo replied blandly, "He never took it easy on me, never let me stop. He pushed me every waking moment of my life and while I resent him on some level, I respect him greatly. I remember one day, after training had finished and I was lying on the ground, bruised and beaten and feeling like a failure, I shouted at him. Asked him why, if he hated me, was he teaching me? Was it just to get his hits in while calling it training?"

"What did he say?" Kasumi whispered tentatively.

The Shimada ninja shrugged, his eyes glazed in memory. "I'll never forget his answer."

 _He stood over the boy, who lay on the ground in a pile of beaten limbs, blue eyes glaring through him. Hanzo brushed a hand through his graying hair, sighing quietly. "I do not hate you, nephew," he said in quiet sorrow, surprising Ryoji. His teacher had never called him anything other than 'boy.' "If I had, I would not be teaching you. No, I do not hate you."_

 _He knelt by his student's head, lightly tousling his messy hair. "Then why?" Ryoji asked, confused._

" _Because I love you as if you are_ my _son," Hanzo answered. "Did you know that I once was in love?"_

" _I…no." The young ninja said._

" _That is because she died," he stated bluntly, though there was grief in the lines of his face, "She is buried in the clan's graveyard…alongside my stillborn son. I believe your mother is next to them."_

" _Sensei…" Ryoji murmured, "I…I didn't know."_

" _Of course not. It was many years ago, and I do not speak of it." Hanzo said quietly, "I held the cold body of my son in my arms for only a minute, but I saw a bright, strong young man who would become the Grandmaster after me, and lead our clan to new heights. And then I buried him." He sat himself next to his student with a sigh. "When your mother came to our home with you in her arms, I was struck dumb. This woman, on the verge of dying, had traveled across the world just to make sure you were safe, and it was like my son had come back from the grave. What I saw in him, and the strength I saw in your mother, I see now in you."_

 _Ryoji slowly, painfully, pushed himself up into a sit, clutching his ribs. "The clan will never accept me," he said bitterly, "All I am is a bastard, an indiscretion."_

 _A strong hand gripped his shoulder, and he looked up to meet Hanzo's serious dark eyes. "_ That _is why I teach you, that is why I push you the farthest you can go," he said honestly. "The clan won't accept you…that is why you will_ make them. _Whoever your mother was, you are still a Shimada, Ryoji. You_ are _worthy of being here, of being the heir. They will look down on you, yes, and they will attempt to break you down, to give you impossible standards. I train you because I want to see their faces when you succeed, when you exceed their standards and prove without a doubt that you are my nephew, my brother's son."_

" _Father…he will have his own children," Ryoji replied sadly. "Even if I do, I'll be forgotten."_

" _My brother only maintains his distance from to keep the peace in the clan, Ryoji," Hanzo stated seriously, "If not for their duties,_ he _would be here now, teaching you." He pointed at a nearby tree behind the boy, who looked around and found nothing. That is, until a shadow detached itself from the tree's, standing on the highest branches, the long cloth ends of its hitae-ate fluttering in the wind. "He comes here every night, to watch your progress."_

" _But, his wife…why?" the boy asked, though he was far from sad._

 _Hanzo grasped his shoulders firmly, meeting his eyes. "Because he loves you as I do, nephew. Because he wishes for you to succeed. We both suffer, seeing you be in pain, but we know you will be all the stronger for it."_

"And he was right," Ryo admitted with a shrug. "When I sparred against other students my age, I won more often than not. It was only against more advanced students that I had to really work for a victory and I only ever beat my teacher twice. Once on my final day of training and once again before I left. He made me into the man I am today."

They had long since finished their meals by the end of his story, and Kasumi had thrown her arms around him at one point, burying her face in his jacket. "So you want to fight in the tournament, to prove your teacher right?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," he nodded in reply, "I want to prove without a shadow of a doubt that I am worthy of the Shimada name. _I_ know I am, but I want them to see for themselves, so they have no way to deny it." Ryo waved for the check. "It's getting late, we should head back to the hotel."

Kasumi agreed, sitting up and finishing her drink. "You're right. Thank you, Ryo, for telling me. I know it was hard for you, and I appreciate you trusting me. And for listening to me, too." She said honestly, patting his hand and gracing him with a small, warm smile.

Ryo felt something twist and knot in his chest, his pulse pounding in his ears. "Uh, yeah…you too." He quickly looked away, taking the check and standing. "I'll just go pay this," he said, hurrying away.

Kasumi watched him go, hand resting over her heart. _What is this?_ she asked herself, _What's this feeling?_ Her brother's face, slack in unconsciousness as he lay still in his bed, flashed across her eyes. _I can't get caught up in this, whatever it is. Not until Raidou is dead and Hayate is avenged. And my mother. And Ayane. But, afterwards…_

Her eyes fell on the picture they had colored together. She smiled, folding the picture and slipping it in her pocket as she stood and joined Ryo at the counter, slipping her arm through his. He glanced down at her, brow furrowed slightly in confusion, before smiling slightly and squeezing her arm. They walked back to the hotel, arm-in-arm, enjoying the quiet atmosphere of the night.

They separated as they entered the room, which was much nicer than the one before. The walls were painted a nice forest green and the carpet was thick and fluffy. The beds were of a much higher quality, with warm beige blankets and sheets. It cost a bit more, but as far the two ninja were concerned, it was more than worth it.

Ryo stretched with a jaw-cracking yawn, scratching the back of his head tiredly. "Alright, I'm going to brush my teeth and get ready for bed. You?"

Kasumi pulled a strand of her hair in front of her face, frowning at the look of it. "I'm going to take a…" she yawned suddenly, smacking her lips in surprise. "A shower. I haven't taken one in a while now. I'm surprised you can't tell."

He shrugged blithely. "Well, I'm trying not to catch my own scent, so I've been breathing through my mouth for the past day or so. I'd catch a shower tonight, but I'd probably fall asleep in the middle." Ryo withdrew his scroll and unsealed his toiletries, letting loose another yawn as he went.

When he emerged a few minutes later, he found Kasumi with a pile of clothes at the foot of her bed. She turned as he made for his bed and quickly wrapped her arms around his middle, just as quickly letting go. "Night," Kasumi muttered, grabbing her clothes and slipping into the bathroom.

Ryo stared at the door for a minute, until the hissing of water drew him out and he shook his head with a smile. _She's sweet_ , he thought running a hand through his hair. He flopped down on his bed with a sigh, carelessly kicking his shoes off and tossing his jacket at the nearby chair. Not feeling the need to undress any further, he pulled the blankets over him and slipped his arms under his head, falling asleep quickly.

…

He woke with his arms around a woman, his head nestled against the side of her neck, one of her hands resting between his shoulders. Ryoji yawned quietly and blinked, clearing the haze of sleep from his eyes. He looked up at the woman he was sleeping on, and found that she had soft white hair that framed a feminine, oval face with elegant, almost regal features. She was relaxed in rest, making her look innocent instead of the focused, sarcastic kunoichi she was.

Ryoji stretched and groaned under his breath, rolling off of her and onto his back to look at the ceiling. "I'm sore in places I didn't think could get sore," he said aloud, as if to himself.

The white-haired woman huffed and rolled on top of him, pressing her naked chest against his. "You've never used those muscles before, of course you're sore," she murmured tiredly, rubbing her cheek against his chest. He chuckled and she pouted sleepily, lightly nipping his skin. "Stooop," she whined, "We only got to sleep a couple of hours ago, it's too damn early to be waking up."

"Don't you have a mission soon, Orochi?" Ryoji asked teasingly, rubbing his hand up and down her bare back, her spine arching like a cat.

"In a few of hours, which is enough time to sleep a bit longer," Orochi replied faintly, her breathing beginning to even out as she spoke, "And it's your fault I'm tired, anyway, so shut up and be a good pillow."

Having said her piece, the white-haired woman snuggled against his side and fell asleep to him stroking her back. Ryoji sighed and stared up at the ceiling blankly, his mind empty except for the smooth sensation of her skin under his fingers, the warmth of her body against his and the steady pulse of her heart beat. He watched as the sunlight shifted slightly while he waited, and when he determined that two hours had passed, he slipped out of her grasping arms.

"I'm going to heat some water," he whispered to her, and she nodded even while keeping her eyes tightly shut and grumbling unhappily. Ryoji stepped away from his mat and stood, exiting the small shack and filling a bucket with water from a nearby pump. Once it was sufficiently full, he went back in and poured half of its contents into a pot, which he set on a small, battered stove.

Housing was basically free in the clan, with apprentices and bachelors taking the smallest of them while families received the larger ones, with the Grandmaster's home being the largest building in the compound beside the temple. Ryoji should've been living there, but…well, he doubted they would've been able to enjoy the previous night's activities.

When the water was hot, he added soap and cleaned himself thoroughly before refilling the pan and letting it heat as he dressed. As he finished the water did as well and he set it aside with a rag, opening the door to his bedroom to let Orochi know it was ready.

She blinked as he entered, her sharp grey eyes meeting his frosty blue before she smiled mischievously. "Are you sure you want me to get up?" Orochi asked teasingly, "After all, there is so much fun to be had…" the white-haired kunoichi threw the thin blanket off of her with a flourish, revealing the entirety of her beautifully toned, seductive form. "…In bed," she finished with a saucy wink.

"You're the one complaining of being tired, Orochi," Ryoji replied with small smirk, "Are you sure you can handle another round?"

Orochi gave a long-suffering sigh, smoothly rolling to her feet. "Take a man's virginity and suddenly, you can't tease him anymore," she grumbled, stretching languidly and smiling as she noticed him eyeing her body, "But of course, there are other ways to enthrall…"

She strode up to him with cat-like grace, looping her arms around his neck and leaning in until their noses touched, though she had to look down to do so. _Damn growth spurt,_ Ryouji cursed distantly, _when the hell is it going to come? Then again, I don't particularly mind right now…_ "Breakfast is cooking," he whispered, the intimate air rendering him unable to speak any louder, "It might start burning."

"Yes, that would be quite the shame," she murmured, pressing herself to him like she was trying to meld them together, "If I cared in the slightest, that is." Orochi closed the minimal distance and kissed him, gently at first, until her hands locked around the back of his head and neck like steel bands and she nearly slammed him against the wall, her tongue delving through his lips to seek his own.

They embraced for what seemed like several frantic hours, but in reality was only a few minutes before they had to separate and gulp down oxygen to soothe their deprived lungs. "Wow," Ryoji managed around pants.

Orochi set her chin on the top of his head, pressing his forehead to the hollow of her throat. "It's kind of sad, I think," she muttered faintly, "That, with all my experience, it's only you that can turn me into an animal with just a kiss. To feel a heat like nothing else when we touch."

"Not what _I'd_ call 'sad,' Orochi," Ryoji whispered into her neck.

"More like 'fortunate'?" she finished with a chuckle. Pulling away, she kissed him again and brushed errant strands of silver-white hair out of her face. "I think so, too…is something burning?"

The younger ninja's eyes went wide in panic and he dashed to the stove, lifting the lightly smoking pot of rice off. "I got it!" he called, setting it aside before giving her a narrow look. "I said that would happen."

"And as _I_ said, it would be quite the shame if I cared at all, and I don't," the kunoichi replied shamelessly, stepping into the small kitchen and taking the soap-infused rag, slowly cleaning herself and quietly moaning in a way that made Ryoji look at her over his shoulder.

He cleared his throat meaningfully, serving up two plates for them and filling a pot with dried leaves and the remaining water. "I'm going to sit outside," he said pointedly as he stepped outside, her throaty laughter following after him.

Ryoji sat down with a sigh, scooping hot eggs and rice into his mouth with chopsticks as he enjoyed the early morning air and the breeze rustling the leaves of the trees around his shack. It was a decent distance from the main compound and had been in a state of disrepair when he received it, but he preferred it that way. He'd repaired it with his own hands and made it livable, and it was far away enough that only someone really looking for him would find it.

He'd worked through half of his bowl when Orochi joined him outside and silently sat next to him, wordlessly taking her breakfast and humming as he leaned against her side. While his dry wit and her snarky sarcasm meshed well, they didn't need to talk to be comfortable. It was one the many reasons they'd been friends for so long.

Many respected her skill as a kunoichi, but fear came hand-in-hand with respect, and it was rare that she met someone who wanted to get to know her beyond her beauty. Then she came across a boy in the middle of adolescence, disdained by most of the clan, who matched her wit with his own, willing to know who she was and what she wanted.

It started simply, where they'd run into each other occasionally and talk a bit about their training in his case and missions in hers, until she'd asked him to spar. Orochi beat him, she had nearly six years of experience on Ryoji after all, but he gave her a surprising challenge and while he was recovering, they began to talk more deeply.

From there it grew, the white-haired kunoichi often visiting him in his shack, sparring against one another and training together or simply enjoying a quiet cup of tea. They could say with all honesty that the other was their best friend, though their feelings grew as well.

It came to a head when Orochi had come to Ryoji the night before, seeking to correct an under-nourished facet of his education: resisting seduction. The lie had lasted all of three minutes before the woman had pinned him to ground and practically ravished him.

Now, in the morning after, as Ryoji leaned against her, he wondered how things would play out for them after the night before. He opened his mouth to speak, but a sharp rustle of leaves interrupted him and a figure appeared before them out of a cyclone of pine needles. "Orochi. Our mission will begin soon," he said by way of greeting, his voice stony behind the mask covering everything from the nose down.

Orochi sighed in annoyance, standing and taking their dishes up. "Alright, I'll be out in a moment," she said over her shoulder, leaving the two ninja alone.

The older man, his garb a dark green trimmed with a lighter shade, scowled at Ryoji. "Disappointment," he greeted coldly.

"Assface," the bastard replied calmly with a nod.

"What did you call me?" The man hissed, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his ninjato.

"I didn't stutter." Ryoji shot back, "Or are your ears still ringing after I rung your bell in the ring?"

The older ninja rubbed the side of his head, the yellow edges of a bruise around his temple. "It was a cheap shot," he dismissed angrily.

"And you're an idiot," the younger man said easily, "'Fair' is for civilians."

"Hmph," the man scoffed, crossing his arms and turning away, "You'll never be a real Shimada, Disappointment."

"And your balls will never drop again after I kicked them into your throat," Ryoji replied with a serene expression. "Are you done?"

Orochi emerged from his shack fully dressed, in the outfit she typically wore on work. It was mainly black, with deep purple trim and vine-like designs. It exposed her arms from the shoulder down to the elbow and only hinted at everything else, but it was alluring in a very dangerous sense. She wore a purple scarf around her neck, her cloth mask resting on top of it, her peaked metal hitai-ate clearing the bangs away from her face. The shaped metal not only marked her as a member of the Shimada, but had dual slits that would allow the wearer to use it in concert with the cloth covering as a mask for near-total anonymity.

"I'm ready to go, enough with the dick measuring," she muttered in annoyance, before nudging Ryoji in the side and giving him a teasing wink. "You'd win, anyway."

"Fine. We need to leave," the older man turned stiffly and strode away, pausing when he noticed that the kunoichi hadn't moved. "Now!"

Ryoji faced Orochi, his face uncharacteristically nervous. "Orochi, what happened last night…what does that make us?"

She snorted lightly, running a hand through her silver-white locks. "Hell if I know. I've never exactly been in this situation before, you know? But, I guess-"

"Orochi!" The older man called, breaking her train of thought. Orochi turned around and held up a finger, telling him to wait a minute before looking back at Ryoji. "Orochi! OROCHI!"

The kunoichi spun around, her face red. "Hold your fucking horses, I'm busy!" she snapped angrily, and the ninja paled and quickly left. Fear and respect, hand-in-hand. Orochi rubbed the bridge of her nose in irritation, facing Ryoji with uncertainty in her sharp grey eyes. "Listen, Ryoji, I don't know what this makes us, if we're good together as a couple or better off as friends with benefits, I don't know. But, I'll think about it, and when I get back…we'll talk about it, alright?"

Ryoji nodded slowly, gently holding the hand cupping his face. "When you get back…" he agreed.

Orochi smiled warmly and leaned in, kissing his lips softly and quickly pulling away before it could satisfy either of them one iota. She winked at his annoyed face and pulled her mask up, hiding her mouth and nose. "Always leave them wanting more, as they say," she teased, before leaving at a sprint.

The young man sighed and sat down on the step of his shack, rubbing his face. Suddenly, Orochi appeared in front of him, seizing him by the back of his neck and locking lips through the silken material of her mask. He pulled back a few seconds later, giving her a questioning arch of his eyebrow.

The white-haired kunoichi shrugged unrepentantly. "I wanted more," she said simply, folding her hands together and vanishing in a swirl of plum petals.

…

Ryo awoke, staring blankly at the ceiling of his motel room as a deep pit of sorrow welled up in his chest. _That dream again_ , he thought sadly, _How long will this torture last?_

It had been more than five years since that day, since he heard that Orochi and her handler had gone missing on their mission, and he had sworn to find her.

Shaking his head and the remnants of the dream away, he slid out of his bed and found Kasumi still asleep on her bed, her long cinnamon hair splayed over her pillow like a sheet. Smiling slightly, he grabbed his scroll and entered the bathroom, locking the door behind him before he unsealed his clothes and soap.

Kasumi woke to the sound of running water, sitting up and stretching with a series of pleasant cracks. She shook her long brown tresses about before tying them up with her yellow ribbon and set about getting dressed. Deciding to take the initiative, she took a few bills from Ryo's wallet and left to get breakfast. The eating area of the motel was small and basically uninhabited that early in the morning, so she had the pick of the lot.

Grabbing a few stacks of pancakes, fruit and granola cereal, she made her way back to their room and opened it with a key, the greeting on her lips dying as she saw Ryo standing at the foot of his bed, a towel around his waist and another on his head. He looked up at her with wide eyes, snatching the towel off of his head and quickly covering his chest with it, though not before her sharp eyes caught what looked like a tattoo of a reptilian tail above his belly button.

"Look away!" he cried dramatically, cowering behind his bed, "I'm not decent!"

Kasumi jumped and left the room quickly, shutting door behind her with a squeaked, "Sorry!"

Ryo laughed loudly, quickly pulling on his clothes and opening the door to find Kasumi pouting at him with her arms full of breakfast food. "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist," he apologized through his chuckles.

She shrugged at him, pressing a plate and bowl into his hands as she pushed passed him. "It's okay, I did buy you breakfast and I got to see a bit of what you're hiding under your shirt," she replied with a smile. "A tattoo. Very bold of you, Ryo."

The Shimada ninja drew back and blinked in surprise, before a wide smile crossed his face. "You didn't buy it with your money, though," he pointed out.

Kasumi looked up at him from her bed, pancakes stuffed in her cheeks. "Not your money, either," she replied.

He shrugged and plopped down on next to her. "Point," he admitted, "You want to see the rest, you still gotta buy me dinner."

She smiled warmly and stole one of his blueberries. "Maybe I will," she said with a small shrug.

"Promises, promises."

…

…

…

…

 **A/N: And there you are, the next chapter in the continuing adventures of Saul/Ryo/Ryoji and Kasumi. And about that: He's called Saul and referred to as such when around people who know as such, and it's the same with Ryo and Ryoji. So immersive, I know.**

 **So yeah, there was a lot of flashbacks in this chapter as the leading pair got to know one another even more, and parts of their histories were revealed. Also, if you know the DOA lore and you don't know who Orochi is…there's no excuse for you. And if you have questions about that, well, it's fanfiction. The stations of canon won't be visited on this train ride!**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and if you want to see more, be sure to check out my other works. And, if you really liked it, you can find me on . Not that you have to, but every little bit helps and I appreciate all of it.**

 **Thanks again to NorthSouthGorem and Kurogane7 for editing and whatnot. Why don't you give them a look, eh? I follow them and so should you!**

 **Stay Awesome.**

 **~Soleneus**

 **P.S.: As I said in an earlier A/N, the Shimada clan is the element coming from Overwatch, but they aren't the same. There are some similarities, but not a bunch, so don't expect their story to be the same.**

 **Stay Awesome Some More.**

 **~still Soleneus**


	4. Cold-Blooded

They'd been traveling for a few hours, long enough for them to be bored out of their skulls. While the scenery wasn't too bad, the slowly encroaching fog and increasing chill served as a foreboding warning for their plans. It had started to drizzle when they stopped around noon, and they ate under cover at the rest stop.

"Hey there!" a man greeted them with a wave as he stepped inside, "Are you the ones driving the motorcycle?"

Ryo looked up from his drink curiously. "Yeah, why?" he asked warily.

The balding man held up his phone. "I was just looking at the forecast, and it looks like it's going to get pretty ugly soon. Just wanted to tell you about it before it got any worse, you know," he shrugged, giving a small smile. "Whatever you do, be safe! Bye!"

The strange weatherman waved cheerily and went to his car, leaving the traveling ninja somewhat nonplussed. "Well that was weird," Ryo muttered, watching the tan car drive off as the skies darkened further. "So, what do you want to do, Kasumi? I think there's a motel nearby, we can end this leg early. Or…"

"We should keep going," Kasumi nodded resolutely, tucking her warm brown hair behind an ear. "I don't know about you, but I can deal with a bit of rain," she said with small, challenging smile.

"Oho, a challenge I see!" he replied with a grin and a brief pose, before chuckling, "Alright, let's keep going. I don't mind some fresh rain myself, so it might actually be nice."

…

It wasn't.

Fat, freezing drops of rain came down in thick sheets, soaking and chilling everything that stepped outside for even a scant second, the rolling thunderous cacophony drowning out the actual thunder. A white beam barely cut through the downpour, reflecting off the glass front doors of a large, six-story hotel, a motorcycle driving up underneath a covered parking area.

Two dark figures, dripping water as if they'd just emerged from a pool, approached the doors at a slow shuffle, the smaller of the two curled up against the side of the larger. The doors slid open in welcome and the figures stepped inside, their footfalls echoing and leaving foot-sized puddles on the once-clean carpet.

 _Squish-squish-squish._

The desk clerk in his neat little suit looked about ready to explode at the sodden figures dirtying his floor, until the tallest withdrew his hood with a pale hand near to turning blue. "I want the room with the biggest bath," Ryo ordered, his lips dark and teeth on the verge of chattering.

"I-it's a hundred dollars a night," the clerk warned shakily, jumping when the ninja drew his wallet and slapped four hundred dollars on the counter and pushed the money towards him. He hurried to grab a key and handed it off. "Room 516. E-enjoy your stay!"

Ryo grunted as Kasumi shivered and pressed herself deeper into his side. They half-marched to an elevator and took it up, their arms around each other as they tried to seek some sort of warmth through layers of soaked clothes. When the bell dinged, they hurried out into the hall and searched for their room, his hands shaking as he fumbled with the key. Once it was unlocked, the two stepped inside, Kasumi heading for the bathroom while Ryo emptied his pockets onto a table.

He followed her a minute later, finding her struggling to take her pants off, her half-frozen fingers uselessly sliding over the wet metal of the clasp. Ryo cupped his shaking hands and mustered a warm breath to blow over his fingers. "Here," he rasped, stepping close to her, "let me help."

Kasumi gave up with a tired sigh, leaning her head against his shoulder as he worked his uncooperative fingers around the clasp, finally managing to dislodge it and loosen them up. The tight material of the jeans were just as wet as the rest, and he had to literally peel them off her legs until she kicked her feet free. As he stood, the runaway ninja pulled her shirt up over her head and tossed it aside, before slowly reaching up and tugging on his collar.

"Undress," she ordered quietly, pulling his arm out of his sleeve. "We'll share."

He nodded in agreement and turned around to give her some privacy while she fully undressed. Ryo heaved his jacket off of him dropped it on the floor with a loud wet slap, before divesting himself of his other clothes. Turning to the bath, he found Kasumi sitting in it with her knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around herself, her soaked hair curtaining her face.

The tub itself was quite large; they could probably lay side-by-side in it and still have elbow room. Ryo stepped inside and sat down facing the tap, his back touching hers, her chill flesh feeling icy against his. He slowly reached out and closed the drain, before going up and turning on the cold water. Even the coolness of the water felt uncomfortably warm, making his skin prickle painfully.

By the time to tub had been filled halfway, their temperatures had begun to level out and the water was uncomfortably cold; a good sign. Ryo slowly adjusted the water temp while slightly opening the drain, allowing the water heat up and leave at the same time.

It took around thirty minutes for them to stop freezing and finally relax in a tub full of steaming water. They lay back, submerged up to their necks with their eyes closed, enjoying the comfortable warmth and dozing next to each other. Kasumi had her head leaning on Ryo's shoulder, their hands clasped gently beneath the surface. He rested his cheek on her hair, basking in the pleasant atmosphere between them.

It was the most comfortable both of them had been in a long time, whether it was family issues or personal ones, and neither wanted it to end.

But it had to eventually. Ryo opened his eyes and blinked, wiping his face with a wet hand and becoming aware of his wrinkling skin and hunger. Softly squeezing Kasumi's hand, he whispered, "I'm going to get out. You should, too. In a little bit, anyway."

She hummed in agreement, shifting away from him slightly and keeping her eyes shut. He stood and stepped out of the tub, grabbing a white towel and drying off, making a pleasantly surprised sound when he saw a pair of fluffy white robes. He stepped over the puddle of clothes and went into the room proper, finding it to be very nice and clean, if a bit fancy. The biggest problem, if one could call it that, was the fact that the room came with one bed.

Shrugging and deciding to deal with it later, Ryo unsealed some spare clothes from his scroll and dressed, absently looking over a menu with a bunch of services the hotel offered. The laundry service would definitely be needed, as well as room service. He was thinking along the lines soup, and maybe some hot chocolate. The pounding rain and grey skies really put him in the mood for something hot and liquid.

Feeling comfortable in his robe and dry clothes, Ryo took up the bedside phone and rang the front desk. "Front desk, how can I help you?" the reedy voice of the front desk clerk came over the line.

"This is room 516," the ninja replied easily, popping a piece of complimentary chocolate into his mouth and switching the TV onto a weather channel. "I'd like to order a laundry service and room service."

"O-of course, sir!" The man nervously replied, his sweating nearly audible. "A-are you sure you can afford it, t-though?" Ryo's first impression, that is, stomping up to the desk looking like a freshly-drowned corpse come back to life for revenge, grimacing in rage had quite the effect on the little man.

"Money's not an issue," Ryo said shortly, eyeing the report with a bit of irritation. Apparently it was all set to be one of the worst storms of the season, and was expected to last four days. While there were worse places to be in the middle of a storm, the nice room they were staying in would feel about five feet wide by the third day, he was sure. "So can I place my order here or do I need to call someone else?"

"Oh, uh, r-right!" The clerk mumbled, scrabbling for a notebook. "I'll have the laundry service sent up post-haste, and I can take your order now, i-if you want."

The Shimada shinobi hummed, flicking through the menu as Kasumi stepped out of the bathroom in her own robe, toweling her cinnamon hair dry. The picture of her, fresh-faced, a few strands of damp hair clinging to her cheeks with a small contented smile playing about her lips and her brown eyes softly glittering in the low light, a slight dip in her robe exposing a hint of the gentle swell of her breasts while the hem fluttered around her long, smooth legs.

Her eyes met his and her cheeks pinked as she shyly glanced away, but not before her smile widened slightly. "…S-sir? Sir?" The front desk clerk asked faintly.

Ryo shook his head and focused on the menu. "Right, uh, two cups of hot cocoa and clam…chowder?" He arched an eyebrow questioningly at Kasumi, who thought for a second before nodding. "Clam chowder. Big servings, please. Thank you."

"Your orders will be on their way soon, as well as the laundry service. Have a good afternoon, sir." The man hung up quickly and Ryo set the phone back in its cradle, sitting down on the edge of the bed and flicking through the channels on the TV.

"How long is it going to rain?" Kasumi asked, sitting next to him and peering at the screen interestedly. He'd stopped on a random channel with a cartoon playing, something about a kid with sword and dog in a magical land of candy canes or something.

"From what I saw, around four days," he answered with a shrug and a grimace, an expression she shared. "But it's the weather, so it could be four days or it could be just one, who knows? Better to weather the weather inside this building than out on my bike."

"Mm," she nodded, looking over her shoulder at the bed they were seated on. "So, I noticed that there's only one bed."

Ryo smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I didn't really specify how many beds, just if there was a big bath." He dragged his foot over the carpet, testing the springiness and softness. "It's pretty good, as far as carpets go, and I've certainly slept on worse. It works for me."

Kasumi frowned at him, pushing on his shoulder. "That doesn't work for me, though," she protested softly, crossing her arms. "I trust you, Ryo. I know you won't do anything I don't want. We'll share. There's enough room for both of us, and we've spent almost a week sitting closer than we are now on your motorcycle, so it's not a problem for me." She mimicked thinking hard, tapping her chin. "Or is it because it's me?"

The small smile on her face and the way she looked at him out of the corner of her yes let him know she was teasing, and he chuckled quietly, his gaze dropping slightly before flying back up and fixing on her face. "Well, your prickly personality would definitely make it difficult, but I'll manage somehow," he teased right back, before nodding at the bed, "I also got some clothes out for you. The services I ordered will be here soon."

The runaway ninja tilted her head at him, looking down at her robe and figuring out why he had been looking at her so intently: the front had opened up, not enough to bare everything, but enough that he could see her stomach. Flushing, she turned away with a nod and pulled on the clothes he'd set aside, a simple white shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants.

As she did, a firm knock alerted them to the people outside, and Ryo opened the door and let them in. The first was an older man in a jumpsuit and a bucket with a mop, who followed the Shimada's directions and entered the bathroom to clean up. The second was their room service, wheeled in on a cart. There was a pot of steaming white soup, a pair of bowls, mugs and a silver carafe along with a basket of sliced bread. "Your meal, sir," the bellhop announced with a bit of a bow, "And a bottle of champagne, compliments of the management."

Ryo arched an eyebrow at the bottle chilling in a bucket of ice, but decided not to care and handed the woman a folded twenty after she moved the dishes to a table. "Thanks," he nodded, the scent of their food making his stomach gurgle. The bellhop retreated with the cart as the laundry guy came out of the bathroom, and the ninja handed him a bill as well. "Sorry about the mess."

"No problem," the man tipped an invisible cap at them with a toothy grin, "You two have fun now." He said with a wink as he left.

The Shimada shinobi coughed, his eyes meeting Kasumi's before she turned away with a red face. "Well, I'm hungry, there's food, let's chow down," he said hastily, serving up bowls of thick creamy chowder for both of them. He debated on drinking the cocoa too, but decided mixing the flavors was a good way to get acquainted with the toilet.

There was silence between them, except for the slurping of soup and clinking of silverware. And also the TV, which Ryo switched the channel when a rotund kid with a ruby or something in his stomach started singing. "This is tasty," Kasumi muttered around a spoonful of chowder, dipping a slice of bread in her bowl.

"Yeah, this was a good choice," Ryo agreed, looking outside at the pouring rain. "It's a good thing the tournament is in a couple weeks, otherwise we'd be out of luck."

Kasumi nodded, her eyes glazed as her thoughts wandered to the upcoming tournament, and her reason for it. She wondered how her brother was, if he was still comatose or if he had finally awoken. Her mood dropped as she considered how Hayate might feel if he awoke, finding his spine broken, his ninja career ended and his sister missing.

She missed him terribly. On some level, Kasumi wondered if her revenge was worth it. Even if she avenged Hayate, she could never go back to her clan, her brother or her mother. Never again could she run through the sakura trees with Ayame, or jump around the pillars with Hayate. All she really had was her vengeance.

"Kasumi?" Ryo asked softly and she jumped, not realizing he had moved his chair over to her end of the table and was sitting next to her with a worried expression. "Are you alright?" His hand rested on top of hers comfortingly.

She sniffed, smiling softly. "I'm just thinking," Kasumi murmured, turning her hand so she could grasp his.

"I've heard that's dangerous," he joked softly, a small grin playing about his lips, "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm just wondering," she said, playing with the dregs of her soup, "About what could happen if I defeat Raidou…"

"You mean 'when,' right?" Ryo insisted with a confident look.

Kasumi's smile grew at his confidence in her. "Yes, that's what I meant," her smile fell a little, "What's going to happen to us after? Are we going to…go our separate ways? Never see each other again? We have goals, things we want to do…problems we have to face…"

"Honestly?" He asked with a shrug, "That's in the future, and we can deal with it then. And while it's true that we have things we need to do separately, I know for certain that my life would be lesser without you in it, Kasumi. And I don't want it to be like that."

From the pure honesty in his voice to his earnest expression, Kasumi knew he was telling the truth. Heat, strong and comfortable, flowed through her veins from their joined hands, taking up residence somewhere between her chest and her head, her back straightening as if a great weight had been reduced.

"I don't, either," she replied warmly, her eyes glittering with emotion as she squeezed his hand tightly. Their gazes locked for what seemed like hours, her pulse matching his as the room seemed to grow sharper, colors saturating and shadows disappearing. Her eyes flicked down to his lips, seeing the tip of his tongue dart out to wet them and felt herself unconsciously mimicking him, anticipation and excitement building to a pounding, wanting crescendo. Kasumi felt her eyes flutter as she slowly leaned in, her breath heavy as suddenly, all she desired was to feel her lips on his.

A bright light shot through the moment, briefly stunning the pair before a low, rolling rumble made them jump. In the haze of the moment, both had forgotten there was a storm raging outside.

The atmosphere lost, Ryo coughed quietly into his hand, reaching for the ladle. "More soup?" He offered.

Kasumi blinked at him, taken aback by the sudden change of pace. "Um…yes, please," she said politely and with a smile, but inside she was anything but. Longing and unsatisfied, as if she'd been denied something she desperately wanted.

But, she was a ninja. She could handle it. For now.

…

Once they had finished dinner, the two moved to the only chair in the room, which had been scooted over in front of the TV and was now comfortably occupied by the two. It wasn't built with two people in mind; well, not _two_ people but more for _one_ couple, much like the rest of the room. The front desk clerk might've mistaken them for a couple and given them a married room, but neither minded. Ryo, being the wider of the two, was pushed into a corner while Kasumi was in the other, half on his lap with her legs draped over his, his arm around her shoulders.

The channel they'd settled on had a movie playing, one that was a decent mix of comedy, drama, romance and even a little bit of action mixed in. While they had no idea what it was called or the who characters were, it was pleasant enough to watch while snuggled up on the chair with mugs of hot cocoa while the storm continued outside. The bottle of champagne was sitting sadly in its bucket, condensation from the melting ice soaking the small towel underneath it.

The pair was only tangentially watching the movie, more focused on the enjoyment they felt at being so close. If they were any more comfortable, it'd be a medical emergency. But, like all things, the movie and their cuddling had to end, especially when Ryo yawned so widely he knocked his empty mug on the floor. Kasumi giggled at his sheepish expression before she echoed him loudly, a small embarrassed blush lighting up her cheeks.

"I think that means it's time to get some sleep," Ryo chuckled, unsealing their toiletries and heading for the bathroom, setting his empty mug on the table. They brushed their teeth in comfortable silence; after they finished, they stood on opposite sides of the bed, looking at each other awkwardly. Kasumi bit her lip before pulling the blankets back and sliding underneath, Ryo doing the same, and they lay next to each other stiffly.

"Good night," Kasumi said quietly, turning on her side and looking out the window at darkened skies still pouring rain.

"Good night," Ryo echoed distantly, doing the same except that his view encompassed a blank wall.

Even though they were at least a foot apart, the distance felt greater and even the plush bedspread felt uncomfortably empty. With a quiet sigh, the ninja settled down, trying to fall asleep. But even then, an uncomfortable atmosphere remained, making them tense unconsciously. Taking a deep breath, Ryo slowly scooted back across the sheets, seeking any sort of physical contact.

When they had slept in separate beds, the lack of contact hadn't even been an issue, but now that they were, it was alien; especially after all the cuddling they'd been doing just ten minutes before. He nearly jumped as his back touched Kasumi's the sudden warmth almost startling, before he realized had moved maybe four inches. She had done the same, and now that they were touching, they relaxed.

"'Night," the runaway ninja whispered warmly.

"'Night," he replied, his eyes closing as he fell into the depths of sleep.

…

The first thing he noticed when he woke up was how warm he was; how comfortable and content he felt at that moment. Barely awake, Ryo sniffed and rubbed his nose against whatever it was touching, the intermingling scent of cinnamon, vanilla and citrus so relaxing that all he desired at that moment was to go back to sleep. Deciding to do so, he pulled the soft thing in his arms closer and settled in.

And then the thing in his arms moaned quietly.

Ryo's eyes snapped open and he went stiff, his eyes flicking down to see Kasumi's warm brown hair filling his vision. And his nose.

Her head rested under his chin, her warm breath brushing over his throat as she nuzzled his neck in her sleep. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his chest, and her legs intertwined with his to the point that they physically couldn't have been any closer; barring their clothes.

He licked his lips, a war taking place inside of him. One side wanted to slip out her dastardly comfortable clutches and make some distance between them; and while they knew Kasumi was reasonable, the last thing she'd do would be getting angry at him for something they did unconsciously, he didn't want to make things more awkward after their almost-kiss last night.

The other half wanted him to pull her closer, breath in her sweet, comfortable scent and go back to sleep in the arms of a woman he'd grown so attracted to. The extremists in the former's camp wanted him to not only stay in her embrace, but kiss her awake and see how things went from there.

As he was debating both course of action (and completely ignoring the last, because if they were going to kiss, Kasumi would be awake from the beginning), the former camp got unexpected reinforcements when Kasumi sighed aloud and pulled back slightly, her cinnamon eyes meeting his steel blue. "Relax," she muttered tiredly, "You're too tense and I can't sleep with that."

Her piece said, the runaway ninja pulled him closer and sighed contentedly, nuzzling his neck. Choice made, Ryo held her tightly and took in the scents of cinnamon, vanilla and citrus, closing his eyes and falling back asleep.

…

It was still raining outside when they fully awoke, and the grey light shone in their room bleakly, casting a shadow over their travel plans. Contrary to expectations, there was only the slightest hint of awkwardness between the two of them as they went about preparing for the day; only for that to increase when they remembered they weren't going anywhere.

After a tasty breakfast, the two settled in the chair again and watched another movie. And then another.

Eventually, Ryo threw up his hands. "Alright, this is so boring, I'm just going to work out a bit," he declared, turning the TV off and tossing the remote on the bed, landing next to their freshly-laundered clothes, "That's a good idea, actually. I haven't worked out at all since we started traveling."

"Me too," Kasumi agreed, "Though that's mostly because I've been running most of the time."

"Well, we can do it together," he nodded, lying down on the floor and propping his knees up. "Do you mind standing on my feet?"

"I have a better idea," she replied, standing in front of his knees before bending over, placing her forefingers on his kneecaps and hefting herself vertically in the air, her toes pointing at the ceiling. "I do need to work on my balance as well, so we can do both at the same time," Kasumi offered with a smile.

Ryo smiled back, "That's a good idea," he replied, and went about doing sit-ups, while she did vertical push-ups. On her fingers. On his knees.

They continued on, switching positions and changing exercises to include one another in usually solitary activities. Such as having Kasumi balance on Ryo's back and do synchronized push-ups, or her standing on his shoulders and doing squats, which got awkward fast when her feet slipped and she ended wrapping her thighs around his head.

By the end of four hours, both them were sweaty and a bit sore, though far from tired. The exercises themselves weren't meant to stretch their limits like actual training would've, it was more to maintain what they already had and maybe build on it a tad. Oddly enough, both found themselves enjoying the tandem-exercising, odd way that it was to bond. It might've been something to do with them showcasing a bit of their abilities to each other, exposing themselves in vulnerable positions and completely trusting the other to watch out for them.

It might've—ninja were weird like that.

"Ah!" Kasumi groaned as she stretched her arms over her head, "I knew my muscles would tighten up after that…guess that's what I get for ignoring it for so long…"

Ryo cracked his neck, wiping the small beads of sweat from his forehead with his arm. "Luckily, there's a bath with hot water, and I hear it's good for sore muscles," he said with a grin. "I'd call first, but I won't. I am a gentleman, after all."

"Oh, I'm very certain you think so," the former Mugen-Tenshin ninja replied with teasing smile.

The Shimada drew back slightly. "Ouch, my pride," he mock-whimpered painfully, "Whatever shall I do?"

Kasumi shook her head, the humor fading to be replaced by warmth. "You can join me in the bath," she offered, "We know it's big enough, and we shared it yesterday."

Ryo had opened his mouth to deny it, but his mind went back to the day before and that morning. He closed his mouth and nodded. "You're right," he agreed, stepping towards the bathroom, before stopping suddenly. "You just want to see me with my shirt off."

She shrugged unabashedly, favoring him with a small smile and a light blush. "Well, you'd have to take it off to take a bath," Kasumi replied, "And it's not like we weren't lying together naked yesterday."

"When you say it like that, it seems like we weren't half-frozen by the crap outside," Ryo muttered, jacking his thumb at the sheets of rain coming down outside. "But you know what? Fine. It's not like it's a huge issue for me. There are way worse things than spending more time with you."

"See?" asked Kasumi faux-patronizingly, patting his cheek. "I knew you'd see reason. But, also, I do…kind of want to see you without a shirt," she muttered quickly, leaning up and kissing his other cheek lightly before brushing past him into the bathroom, her face alight.

Ryo heard her clothes hit the floor with a soft rustle and was more than tempted to glance through the open door and look at her, but resisted through sheer force of will and the desire to not intrude. But mostly because he was smiling goofily and touching his cheek softly, before shaking his head. "I think I saw some bubble bath in there!" He called as the rushing of water echoed out of the bathroom.

He waited for a few minutes, staring out the window at the blanket of grey clouds, lost in thought. "Ryo?" Kasumi called distantly.

"Coming," he replied, walking in and seeing that she was up to her neck in the bath, white foamy bubbles brushing the underside of her chin. "Looks comfortable. Also, I'm about to undress, so avert your eyes please, or I won't be responsible for your mind being blown."

She rolled her eyes at him but smiled, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. Nodding to himself, the Shimada ninja disrobed, tossing his clothes on the floor next to hers. Turning around, he jumped upon as he found Kasumi staring at him with wide eyes. And at his chest, too. Feeling inexplicably shy, Ryo crossed his arms over his chest, and his tattoo.

It started with a dark yellow tail near his belly button, followed by black and grey scales following a long, sinuous body that curled up around his back, with the body spun around his chest and disappearing under his arm before ending at the head on his shoulder. Its mouth was open slightly, a small cloud of smoke billowing out around its fangs with yellow or gold eyes that seemed to be staring back. Lightning of a similar color crackled all along its body, looking so real that Kasumi briefly wondered how she hadn't been shocked before.

"My eyes are up here, you know," he muttered, looking away and swallowing thickly. The way she looked at him, the way her mouth had fallen open just a little…it stirred something in him.

"Oh!" Kasumi gasped, looking away with a red face, her hands coming up to cover her eyes. "Sorry!"

"I bet you are; that's why you stared at me for a minute straight," Ryo said under his breath, stepping over her and into the hot, bubbly water, sinking in with a sigh. His eyes closed as he relaxed, his mind falling silent and his head lolling back. A set of soft, slim fingers settled on his chest and even though his tattoo was covered by a layer of white bubbles, Kasumi traced the scales with a delicate touch, almost like a caress. Her soft skin sent a jolt of something electric up his spine and he shivered slightly.

Kasumi, to her surprise, found that inked skin was upraised like scar tissue, and that it fluctuated between being smooth and a bit rough from scale-to-scale. "Why a dragon?" She asked softly, still running her fingers over it. "And why a tattoo? It looks like something a Yakuza would have."

"Well, my clan has some ties to Yakuza, but not in the way you'd think," he replied, still keeping his eyes shut. "As for being a dragon tattoo…let's just say it's very important. Symbolic of not only being a Shimada, but also a clan secret."

"Oh," the runaway ninja said quietly, still tracing the inked lines on his skin. She looked up at his face and found him staring down at her, his eyes slits of blue peering through a net of lashes. That same attraction from the night before struck her again and she suddenly very much aware that both of them were naked. And only inches away from each other. And that the palm of her hand was pressed against his chest, and she could feel his heart start to pound against his sternum.

"Kasumi…" He started, his hand rising to stroke hers. Kasumi could feel the way his muscles had tensed, as if he was on the edge of running away…or pulling her on top of him. "If I said I was attracted to you… _very_ attracted…what would you say?"

His eyes were wide open now, cold steel blue gazing into warm cinnamon brown with something that looked like fear glittering in them. "I'd say you haven't been doing a good job of hiding it," she murmured, rubbing her thumb over his finger comfortingly, "And that the feeling is mutual…"

"But?" Ryo continued, seeing her drift off.

"But we have goals we need to accomplish, and no idea if they intertwine," she said softly, disappointment welling up in her chest. "We intend to join a tournament and fight each other, even. I don't think that…what we have, what we _want_ …would survive that."

"I think you're right," he mumbled, closing his eyes and leaning his head back with a sigh. "It's just…the time we've spent together, how close we are…" He waved a hand over them, sharing a bath and touching each other intimately. "It's all happening so fast. I'm really comfortable with you, Kasumi, and that scares me just a little bit."

Kasumi nodded, wrapping her underwater arm around his and holding it to her chest. "I know what you mean," she agreed softly, laying her head on his shoulder, "I've only ever been this happy and comfortable around my brother and Ayane…for entirely different reasons and not so much after we stopped being friends," she quickly added at his arched eyebrow, "But yeah. I don't think we afford a major distraction…no matter how much me want to."

Ryo heaved a slow, shuddering sigh. "You're right. You're right." He nodded, nuzzling the top of her head. "But, you know, there is afterwards…and the tournament won't last forever. And there's still the rest of our lives."

"Yeah," Kasumi said, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. "There is. Can we make a promise? That, when the tournament is all said and done, we can talk about it again without it hanging over our heads?"

"I promise," he swore softly, relaxing against her, "As I said before, I want you in my life, Kasumi."

"I do too," she replied quietly, and a comfortable silence descended between them.

…

With the sexual tension between them acknowledged, it eased up on them a little and allowed them to relax, and the rest of the next few days were spent doing much the same as the first. In order: wake up snuggled together, eat breakfast, watch a few shows cuddling on the chair, work out together, eat lunch, snuggle together in the bath, order dinner and watch a movie cuddling on the chair, then go to sleep snuggled together.

A lot snuggling, if you couldn't tell.

But on the fourth day, when Ryo woke up to find he had been used as a giant teddy bear with most of his face engulfed in Kasumi's unsurprisingly comfortable chest, he found that the storm had passed. The skies were still grey, but a lighter shade and not a drop of rain was falling. On one hand, that meant they could get back to traveling and heading towards their goals; on the other, it meant their brief vacation was over.

The Shimada ninja found he didn't really mind. The two had grown closer, but also put a cap on their feelings for the time being. So, for their relationship to really go anywhere, they needed to join the tournament and get to fighting.

After waking Kasumi up and resisting the temptation of another bubble path, the two packed their things, threw on their warmer clothes and checked out. Despite the bill being over a thousand dollars, the little desk clerk in his neat little suit was still glad to see their backs.

Outside, Ryo slipped his sunglasses on and threw his leg over his bike, patting the top like one would a large cat. "I'm sorry for leaving you outside," he crooned at his vehicle, rubbing some of the accumulated grime off the gauges. "Don't worry, I'll take you to a good mechanic and get you a tune-up and a cleaning, alright?"

Kasumi looked at him strangely but fondly, silently shaking her head and climbing up behind him. "You know, if you ever get tired, I can take over," she offered.

He opened his mouth to reply, before stopping and turning to look at her. "Do you even know how to drive?" Ryo asked skeptically.

She shrugged unconcernedly and smiled. "I don't, but you could always teach me, right?"

He chuckled quietly, nodding as he turned the keys. "Yeah, I'll teach you how to drive. After the tournament. Promise."

Kasumi wrapped her arms around him and got comfortable against his back as they pulled out of the hotel's parking lot and continued on their adventure.

…

…

…

…

 **A/N: And that's chapter four! Next chapter we actually get to the beginning of the tournament, finally! I think I've gotten their relationship to a point that it can't really grow any farther without Kasumi's revenge and Ryo's desire hanging over them, so it's time to get to the DOA part of the DOA story! Woo!**

 **Kurogane: Finally. I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever get to some actual fighting. After all, what's a fighting game fic without any fights? And without important characters to boot?**

 **So yeah, I think is my break-fic, like after I finish a few big chapters for my main stories, I'll pop over here and write some more fluff! Though, there's going to be fighting and rivalries and bad history and world travel…fuck! This is not as uncomplicated as it was supposed to be!**

 **Oh well.**

 **This chapter brought to you by Foo Fighters, eggnog (and rum), and the motherfucking holiday spirit!**

 **Kurogane: Yeah…if the holiday spirit this season ever succeeded in dethroning King Skellington. Also, I as a recent entry into the world of the Foo Fighters, I can tell you they're a good listen.**

 **Also myself, with big thanks to NorthSouthGorem and Kurogane7 for editing and shit. Give them a look-about, I know both have published new stories recently. And when you see 'em, tell 'em Sol sent ya! :D**

 **Kurogane: You're much too kind.**

 **Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed. Up next, The Life With Monster Girls, even more fluff and romance!**

 **Stay Awesome.**

 **~Soleneus**

 **P.S.: Did you know I've got a Pa treon? Well, I do, and I release some of my more original work there. Everything helps, ya know.**

 **Also, did you know I have a Twitter Account? I do. You can find me on Twitter as Saul Dewitt. Start a conversation with me!**

 **Stay Awesome Some More.**

 **~still Soleneus**


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